In Lieu of
by Bobbie1
Summary: Just a little story resulting from a discussion about role models. Please read and review cause I like to know whatcha think. Chapters 7-11 posted March 1st
1. Default Chapter

The idea for this story came up in a discussion. It was one of those ideas that just hits you and you know you have to write it. So, that's what I did. I wrote it. Well, I wrote chapter one anyway.  
  
Please read and review. It'd be a shame if the idea only appealed to me....  
  
Now if only I could come up with a good title. I am terrible with titles in case you havent figured that out already...  
  
IN LIEU OF.....  
  
Bad day Lieu?" Bosco asked. I was descending the stairs when I noticed Lieu shaking his head while exhaling a deep breath.  
  
"Been a bad week Boscorelli," Lieu conceded.  
  
"Maybe you need a vacation, you know, recharge the ole batteries."  
  
"Yeah, you might be right," Lieu agreed. "For the time being, I'd settle for a beer."  
  
"You're welcome to join us.Sully, Ty, me...couple other maybe," I offered.  
  
"I'm 'fraid I'm gonna be here awhile tonight," Lieu said nodding his head. "Thanks for the offer though."  
  
"Sure thing," I replied snapping my jacket. "Nite."  
  
"Good nite," Lieu said with a heavy sigh before turning his attention to his work.  
  
An hour or so later, I found myself breaking up a fight between Sully and his evening's sparring partner.  
  
"Sul man, this is getting real old real fast," Ty replied, trying to stay calm. Sully was making it a habit of getting into someone's face every time we went out for a beer.  
  
"Mind your own business kid," Sully snarled.  
  
"Can't do that Sully," Ty replied nodding his head. "Come on, I think it's time to call it a night."  
  
As the three of us left, Ty managed to keep Sully from getting in anyone else's face. Sully, intent on driving, had his keys in hand. Stumbling in his drunken state, he dropped them. I got to them before Sully (which of course was no huge task) handing them over to Ty.  
  
"Wish I could say you're gonna feel better in the morning Sul," I said leaning on the window edge of Sully's car. "But I don't think that's going to be the case."  
  
"Thanks for the help Bosco," Ty offered before getting in the drivers seat. "See ya tomorrow."  
  
"See ya Ty," I offered as Ty pulled away. I crossed the parking lot headed for his own car when a familiar sedan pulled up alongside him.  
  
"Boscorelli" Lieu replied after rolling down his window.  
  
"Hey Lieu, you decide to take me up on that beer?"  
  
"Yeah, got finished a little earlier than I'd expected so I thought I'd stop by."  
  
"I was just about to head on home. You just missed Ty and Sully."  
  
"Maybe another time then," Lieu replied as he prepared to leave.  
  
"It's still early," I said looking at my watch. "Sully kind of made a nuisance of himself. If you still want that beer. We might want to try another place."  
  
"Any suggestions?"  
  
"I know a perfect place. You want to drive?"  
  
"Sure no problem," Lieu said reaching over and unlocking his passenger door.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, I led the way into an all too familiar bar.  
  
"Hey ma" I called out to my mother who was at the bar talking with a customer.  
  
"This is a surprise," she replied. "What can I get you?"  
  
"Couple beers," I answered before heading to a table in the corner.  
  
"Be right over," Rose called after him.  
  
"Your mother?" Lieu asked as he took a seat.  
  
"I wasn't expecting to see you so soon," Rose replied, setting two beers on the table before sitting down beside me. What brings you by?"  
  
"Ma, this is Lt Swersky," I replied, introducing my superior to my mother.  
  
"A Lieutenant huh," Rose replied with a smile.  
  
"Yes ma'am," Lieu replied. "Most people call me Lieu."  
  
"Lieu works at the 55th precinct," I explained.  
  
"Oh so you work with my boy here?" Rose questioned.  
  
"Yeah I've worked with Bosco since he joined the force."  
  
"I better get back to work. Lemme know if you boys need anything else. Nice meeting you Lieu," Rose said before leaving the two to their drinks.  
  
"Your mom's a nice lady," Lieu replied as Bosco watched her go back to work.  
  
"This surprises you?"  
  
"She's just not what I expected," Lieu admitted. "Although I'm not sure what I expected but given the hot-headed officer she has for a son."  
  
"My ma's incredible," I continued. "She's been through a lot in her life..my old man beating her.my brother Mikey and his run-ins with the law.and me, her hot-headed cop of a son."  
  
"You really surprised me that night.arresting your own brother."  
  
"Ma was pissed at me for a while after that one. Mikey's my brother, he's family, but that didn't change what he did. I couldn't let it slide."  
  
"How long did you think about the situation before you arrested him?"  
  
"Not long. Me and Faith pulled him over. We had our weapons out, told him to get out of the car. When he got out, he had his back to me. Then he turned around and I saw it was Mikey. It was a shock but I couldn't let him get away with dealing drugs. Faith thought otherwise. I don't know if she didn't want to arrest him or if she just didn't want me to do it. Either way, we brought him in."  
  
"And your ma bailed him out."  
  
"Yep, she's always had a soft spot for Mikey. I was pissed when I found out she paid his bail. But where else was he going to get the money? Certainly not from my old man."  
  
"I take it you and your father don't see eye-to-eye on things?"  
  
"My old man and I don't see each other period. I have nothing to say to him and he doesn't want to hear from me. I've seen him once since 9/11 and I had to go through Mikey to find him."  
  
"You didn't hear from him after the Towers collapsed?'  
  
"Nope! He didn't give a damn whether I was alive or not."  
  
"I bet your mom took it pretty hard."  
  
"Yeah she did. Of course, I've given her more than enough reasons to worry."  
  
"Well you have a knack for finding trouble."  
  
"Hey, I don't find trouble, Trouble finds me."  
  
"Trouble like getting shot.twice.crashing through a second story window.fires.yeah I'd say she has reason to worry. "  
  
"Something like that," I acknowledged, glancing at Lieu. "How come it's always me everything happens to?"  
  
"Cause you're a good cop Bosco," Lieu said before nodding as if he was waiting to see if I agreed or not.  
  
I didn't reply right away, thinking over what he'd said before I continued.  
  
"You really think I'm a good cop Lieu?" I finally asked, a sense of doubt in my voice.  
  
"You're a hot head Bosco. I think we both agree on that." Lieu started to explain.  
  
I had to laugh. I don't know why but it just struck me as humorous. Hell, the whole idea of me and Lieu, sitting here talking over a couple of beers was humorous if not a little odd.  
  
"Being a hot-head isn't necessarily a bad thing," Lieu continued, a smile on his face as he looked right at me. "Don't get me wrong, I like it when my men and women think before reacting but sometimes we have to go on instincts. The academy teaches a lot of different things but you can't teach someone instincts. You either have them or you don't."  
  
"To answer your question," Lieu replied. "You've got good instincts Bosco and yes, I think you're a good cop. When things get tough out there, you kick it up a notch.you get the job done."  
  
"I just do what I gotta do," I commented. "Like you said, sometimes the situation doesn't give you time to think."  
  
"And that's why you've taken two gunshots and fell through a second story window.'  
  
"I'm sorry to interrupt," ma replied, looking like she had a job in mind. "Can I borrow my son for just a minute?"  
  
"Of course," Lieu smiled. I think he was getting a kick out of me and ma. I was beginning to think that this night was gonna be one that I wouldn't live down.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just that Scott is off tonight and he usually changes the tank," ma explained.  
  
"No problem ma," I replied. "Be right back, Lieu."  
  
"I'm really sorry," ma replied once again. "Scott, my regular bartender is off tonight. He's been with me for almost nine years. I almost didn't hire him but he's turned out to be a great bartender."  
  
"So it runs in the family," Lieu questioned. Ma wasn't sure what Lieu was referring to. "Eight years ago I wasn't exactly sure putting Bosco and Faith together was such a good idea either. But, they seem to work together well."  
  
"Faith's a beautiful gal," Rose replied. "She takes care of my Maurice. I know first hand that she has her hands full with him but he respects her. I taught him that.at least I tried. Many times I wondered if he was listening to what I was trying to tell him. I guess he was It's not easy being a single parent but he's turned out okay. I'm proud of him."  
  
"Proud of him being a police officer?" Lieu couldn't resist asking.  
  
"Yeah, I am proud of him for being a police officer, although sometimes he scares the hell out of me. But being a cop is important to him, it's a big part of who he is. Asking him to change would change who he is and nothing is worth that. So you learn to live with it."  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" Lieu stated.  
  
"Sure you can," ma responded. "Of course I reserve the right to not answer.the right to remain silent?"  
  
Lieu and ma shared a laugh before he continued.  
  
"Why do you think Bosco being a cop is such an important part of who he is?"  
  
"My son didn't have a charmed childhood. His father wasn't a good man or a good father. He hurt me and he hurt Maurice and his brother. I thought divorcing him would make things better for my boys but it didn't work out that way. In some ways it was worse 'cause neither of my boys suspected there was anything wrong. Just one day he found out his father wouldn't be living with us anymore. It wasn't easy being a single parent to two boys but I did the best I could. Mikey's a lot like his father. He doesn't dwell on things. He just lets it go and moves on. Maurice is more like me. He wants to fix things. He always has, ever since he was a little boy. I think that's why he's a cop so he can fix things; especially when a little kid's involved. He doesn't want kids to suffer like he did."  
  
"I have noticed that he gets a little more involved when a child is at risk," Lieu offered. "Bosco's good with kids, especially ones who are hurting."  
  
"I keep telling him that. I think he worries too much that he'll be like his father was with him but I don't believe that. Course every time I bring up the subject, he thinks I'm pushing him for grandchildren."  
  
"Grandchildren?" Lieu chuckled. "I take it he's not interested in having kids of his own?"  
  
"No, I just think he hasn't met the mother of his children yet," Rose said smiling. "But when he does, he'll know it and I won't have to make suggestions about grandkids."  
  
"The two of you seem really close." Lieu stated, although it was more in the form of a question.  
  
"Well, I guess we are. But then, he's all I got and I'm all he's got. Sure he has a father.somewhere. He's got a brother who has no interest in forming any bond with him. So, it's just the two of us. Plus, I think he worries about me and the men I date."  
  
"And they think being a parent is easy," Lieu offered his opinion. "My two daughters seem to think they need to fix up dear old dad with a new woman. But I make a comment on someone they're dating."  
  
"All hell breaks lose?" Ma filled in the blank.  
  
"Well Maurice has good reason to not like some of the men I've dated," Rose confessed. "Not all of them but I have dated a few who treated me badly. That's when Maurice the son and Maurice the police officer become one and it's not a pretty site. But I can't blame him. He worries about me. I mean he's out there on the streets trying to protect people and here I am being beaten up. It's a tough thing for him and he doesn't handle it all that well."  
  
"You cant blame him. Like you said, he wants to fix things."  
  
"What needs fixing?" I asked, coming into the conversation late.  
  
"See what I mean?" Rose said with a laugh.  
  
"You talking about me again ma?"  
  
"Of course. You're my favorite subject."  
  
"So, you boys hungry?" ma asked.  
  
"That question would be directed at you" I said pointing towards Lieu. "Ma knows I'm always hungry especially if she's cooking."  
  
"You're so good for my ego" ma replied leaning over placing a kiss on my cheek. "You used to get upset when I kissed you in public."  
  
"Yeah well, it didn't do me any good," I said, in my defense. "I figure 'what's the point'?"  
  
"What do you say Lieu? I have a nice big pan of lasagna in the oven."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Lieu replied.  
  
"You know, maybe if you're not busy Saturday you should stop by. Maurice and I usually have a nice dinner. It'd be nice if you could join us.  
  
Okay, did I just hear my ma correctly? Did she just invite my boss over for dinner?  
  
Like I was saying, I don't find trouble. Trouble finds me Right now trouble was brewing right in front of me. And like so many other times, I was powerless to do anything. So, I did what no one would believe..I kept my mouth shut.  
  
  
  
To be continued. 


	2. Chapter two

The next hour or so, I sat at ma's bar wondering what to say. Why was this bothering me so much? Part of me was in denial that ma would actually invite someone else to dinner.dinners that were always just me and ma, talking about whatever and following dinner with more whatever. Nothing was ever planned for ma and me. I'd show up around 6:30 and wind up not leaving 'til after 9pm. And even Maurice Boscorelli couldn't eat for two and a half hours.  
  
Another part of me wondered what had led ma to invite Lieu over for dinner. Ma and me had these dinners for years now, just the two of us, always Saturday afternoons. She'd never invited anyone else and I had not thought to invite anyone else. But that had changed tonight.  
  
We left ma's bar around 2am. With just two beers a piece, ma was comfortable that Lieu could drive. She had stuffed us with food so that we wouldn't drink on empty stomachs. I have to give ma credit for one thing and that is she careful when she's serving liquor. Most of the cabbies who worked the area knew her in a first-name basis. Ma called them every time a patron came in and had a little too much to drink.  
  
So, there we were, Lieu and me in his car driving back to the 55th so I could pick up my car.  
  
"So you never answered ma about dinner on Saturday." I questioned breaking the deafening silence.  
  
"I told your mother that I needed to check my schedule."  
  
"Yeah so I heard that. Why do I get the feeling its more than that?"  
  
"Your mother is a nice lady, Bosco. I really would like to join you for dinner. But, like I said, I really do need to check my schedule."  
  
"A ha."  
  
"Bosco, listen. We're both adults here so why don't you just say what's on your mind?"  
  
"You and my ma, that's what's on my mind."  
  
"I figured as much. What is it about me and you mother that bothers you so much?"  
  
"I didn't say it bothered me."  
  
"You didn't have to. It's pretty obvious. Am I that bad of a guy?"  
  
I didn't answer Lieu, instead kept my eyes focused on the road in front of us.  
  
"Look I'm an old-fashioned kind of guy. Your mother caught me off guard inviting me to dinner. I would like to have dinner with her and with her son if that's okay with you?"  
  
"So you wanna get to know my ma better? Like how?"  
  
"You know, maybe dinner.a movie.just talking.nothing else. But you and me, we have to work together. If the idea makes you uncomfortable, I can tell Rose that I have to work."  
  
"Dinner on Saturday is fine by me."  
  
"Good then how 'bout we just get through dinner and after that, we'll see what happens."  
  
"Fine but I don't have to wait 'til after dinner. I already know she'll say yes."  
  
"And what makes you say that?"  
  
"I just know her that's all."  
  
"You're pretty protective of your mother."  
  
"Yeah well, I'd have to be. Her track record with men isn't too good. Just for the record Lieu. I don't care if you are my boss, that you're a Lieutenant and all.you hurt my mom and you answer to me."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"You do that."  
  
"You know Bosco, it's a good thing you only have a brother. With your method of interrogation, no sister of yours would ever get a date."  
  
"I see you and mom have one thing in common."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"What you said about me and a sister.ma's told me the same thing.'  
  
"Guess it must be true then."  
  
"Must be."  
  
Saturday was only a few days away and I was feeling a lot better about things. The two days since ma had invited Lieu had given me time to think; time to recall all the past guys who had beaten ma up. I felt good about things with Lieu although you wouldn't get me to admit it. And, I figured, it was just dinner. Even if at a future time, they had dinner and a movie, Lieu had made it a point to say that he was an old-fashioned guy. I was counting on that more than I cared to admit.  
  
During the week, Lieu and I didn't have much time to talk. It wasn't that we were avoiding each other, just that working Anti-Crime put us on opposite schedules. I was working mostly days and he was working his usual shift.  
  
He did, on one occasion catch me on my way out. It was an odd conversation. As much as Sgt Cruz and I had been keeping things under wraps since the explosion that had put us together, Lieu had somehow put the pieces together.  
  
"So whatever happened to ESU?"  
  
At first I didn't reply, simply shrugging my shoulders.  
  
"I just figured given the past year or so, it wasn't going to happen."  
  
"I see," he said nodding. "You know, it isn't common knowledge and you didn't hear this from me. Whatever's going on with you and Sgt Cruz, you'd be smart to put an end to it."  
  
That comment surprised me. Cruz and I had been pretty discreet when it came to our personal lives. No one had said anything and the fact that Lieu did, shocked me. After all, the two of us rarely saw one another. So, who else knew, I wondered but didn't ask.  
  
"I take it this all started after the explosion?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, somewhere around there," I acknowledged. The explosion had been six, almost seven weeks ago. My life had changed in that time. I rarely talked to my old shift mates, Faith included. The only one I was still talking to was ma. I wondered if she suspected something. She always seemed to know about these things.  
  
"Look, I'm sticking my neck out telling you this. She hasn't always been in Anti-Crime and she hasn't always worked the 55th. And the fact that she's 'been around the block' wasn't always her own choice. That's all I'm gonna say. I trust what I've told you doesn't leave this room?"  
  
"Sure thing Lieu," I commented as he glanced at his watch.  
  
"Gotta get to work," he said, standing and pushing in his chair.  
  
"Hey Lieu," I called out before he reached the door. "Thanks."  
  
Saturday arrived and I had some plans of my own. I had a feeling that Lieu had put his career on the line for me and I owed him for that. So, I attempted to call Faith to ask her a favor. We hadn't talked in almost two weeks now. I knew that Emily was doing okay so I wasn't too concerned. Faith and I had always managed to touch base at some point. I had no reason to believe that things would be any different this time 'round.  
  
Faith wasn't home or just wasn't answering one. I left a message for her to call me on my cell phone. When she didn't call back, I switched to Plan B and called the firehouse.  
  
Alex answered, which surprised me. I asked her the same favor I was going to ask Faith. As expected, given my lack of details, she balked at the idea. So, given no other choice, I made up a story and she reluctantly agreed. The only condition was that she wouldn't be able to follow through if they got a call. I had no Plan C so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.  
  
Six-thirty arrived and so did I. Lieu was already at ma's when I got there. She poured me a drink as usual and then promptly scolded me like a five year old as I made my usual round through the kitchen.  
  
"He does this every week," she explained to Lieu who laughed at my expense.  
  
"How long 'til we eat?" I asked.  
  
"Half hour or so." she answered. "Every week we eat at around seven and every week after, you come in here and ask what time we eat."  
  
"Yeah I know that but someday you're going to surprise me right?"  
  
"Yeah, at my age, I'm full of surprises right?"  
  
"You're not that old ma," I corrected her.  
  
"You're sweet, you know that?" she said kissing my cheek. I felt my cheeks go red as she did this. I don't know why, I just did. But at least she was still just kissing me.  
  
The fact that her phone rang at five minutes to seven didn't surprise me. I had been expecting the call and I'd made a point to be as far from the phone as possible so ma would have to answer it.  
  
"Maurice, it's for you," she called out.  
  
"For me?" I said, taking the phone from her.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Alex, as promised, was on the other end of the line. She didn't stay on the phone long which was fine by me. I was capable of carrying on a make believe conversation. Her part in this was done when she asked for me. "Yeah, sure no problem," I replied. "Yeah it'll only take me a few. Hang tight, I'll be right there."  
  
Hanging up the phone, I glanced up to see both ma and Lieu watching me.  
  
"I gotta go," I replied, reaching for my jacket while offering no further explanation.  
  
"What is it?" ma inquired.  
  
"Did something happen?" Lieu asked.  
  
"Alex, from Adam 55, she lives up a few blocks. I don't know exactly what's going on.something about a table halfway down the stairs or halfway up the stairs. I knew she wouldn't wait for Ty and me to come by later and help. Gotta go. I won't be long."  
  
Having said that, I left, not giving ma or Lieu a chance to ask any questions. As I made it to my car, I couldn't resist looking up at ma's apartment. I knew it wouldn't take either her or Lieu long to figure out that I'd set them up. But, that was okay. My only regret was my stomach was growling and ma and Lieu were probably sitting down to dinner right about now.  
  
to be continued... 


	3. Chpater three

The following week I talked to ma. She sounded happy and surprisingly she didn't mention my sudden departure before dinner. I hadn't seen Lieu all week but we'd been a little backed up with a new string of rapes taking place. So far there were no fatalities but several women had been brutally attacked. I wanted to string the guy up by a certain body part and I suspected Cruz felt the same way.  
  
I was watching her a little closer these days after hearing what Lieu had told me. I wanted to try to talk to him again and see if he'd give me more details but I suspected I had got all I was going to get from him.  
  
Late that afternoon, we got word of another attack. This one was in progress when the call came in. With any luck, this string of attacks was about to come to an end. Cruz had taken the call while I was in the men's room so the location was a mystery to me as we weaved our way through traffic. It wasn't long before the neighborhood started to look a little too familiar. Faith met us at the scene. She was outside on the sidewalk watching for us to arrive. Cruz didn't pay any attention to her but I knew by the look in her eyes that I was about to come face to face with someone from my past.  
  
I ran past Cruz, headed inside the small shop. There was a trail of blood that shook me to my core. I'd seen a lot of blood in my line of work but this was different. I breathed a small sigh of relief when the trail ended at Doc and Carlos working on a white male, approximately 25-30 years of age.  
  
I glanced back, my eyes meeting Faith's.  
  
"She's in the back," Faith replied, her hand on my shoulder and she gently pushed me in the direction of the back room. "Kim and Alex are with her."  
  
In the back room, I spotted her a split second before she spotted me. I don't know what all happened next but she somehow made her way over to me, I wrapped my arms around Nicole, feeling her body tremble.  
  
"What the hell happened?" Cruz replied from the doorway. A few officers turned to face her as I led Nicole to a chair.  
  
"You feel up to answering a few questions?" I asked her, getting a nod from her.  
  
"Is he dead?" Nicole asked, her voice a little shaky as she spoke.  
  
"Were you here alone?" Cruz questioned.  
  
"Yeah.Sheila went to lunch.one of my.my regulars called," Nicole replied through sobs as she tried to maintain her composure. "She wanted to pick up a gown.said she'd be here by 5.I came back..back here for the gown.just for a minute or two."  
  
As Nicole paused to gain her composure once more, I reached out, taking her hand in mine. Hoping she would draw from my strength. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Faith. I wasn't sure what had actually happened to Nicole with this guy but I was glad Faith was there with me. This sort of thing just wasn't Cruz's forte.  
  
"A man came in.said he had a tuxedo to pick up...I started to ask him his name. Before I could get my question out, he shoved me."  
  
"Did he have a weapon.a gun or knife?" I asked.  
  
"Not that I saw," Nicole responded.  
  
"What happened next?" Cruz continued her questions. Despite Cruz's lack of compassion for what Nicole had been through, she managed to maintain her composure. She was taking control of her situation and not letting Cruz rattle her.  
  
"I tried to stay calm but he was yelling all sorts of thing. He wasn't making sense. I don't know if he was drunk or on drugs or what. At one point he pushed me and I knocked over a rack of clothes. There was a mirror nearby and the rack hit the mirror, shattering it. I managed to get my hands on a piece of the broken mirror. He grabbed me by the hair, pulling me to my feet. As he did, I lashed out at him with the piece of mirror. That's when he got cut. He stumbled for a minute with his look on his face. He slapped me across the face, calling me a bitch. He reached for me, getting hold of my hair again. I thought he was going to kill me but then I felt him let go of me. When I looked over my shoulder, he was heading for the front door."  
  
My past with Nicole hadn't ended well but right now she wasn't an ex- girlfriend, she was a victim of a horrible crime; one that she was lucky to survive.  
  
"We're going to take her to Angel of Mercy," Kim replied, looking up at me. "She's going to need stitches for that hand."  
  
I walked with them as they left, keeping her attention on myself as we passed the location where the attack had taken place. As I watched Boy 55 help her into the back of the bus, Faith filled us in on the details she had ascertained before we arrived. I listened to her until they asked for an officer to ride in the bus with the attacker  
  
"The attacker tried to escape. Apparently the shop owner next door heard some noises and called it in. The neighboring shop owner came outside when he heard 55-Charlie approaching. The attacker tried to take him as a hostage. When that happened, the next guy shot him.  
  
"I'll ride with him," I called out.  
  
"He says anything I wanna hear about it later," Cruz called out as I left.  
  
"Damn it," Cruz grumbled under her breath. "The guy called the police. He should have waited and not taken things into his own hands."  
  
"The important thing here is the attacker is off the streets. Nobody else is going to get hurt," Faith replied much to Cruz's dissatisfaction.  
  
"Yeah but it could have went the other way very easily, she replied. "The little blond rich bitch could have been killed along with the guy next door."  
  
"Yeah but they didn't," Faith continued. "And the young woman who was attacked...her name's Nicole, not the blonde rich bitch."  
  
"Who is she anyway?" Cruz practically spat out at Faith.  
  
"She's an ex girlfriend of Bosco's," Faith filled in the blanks, getting the response she'd expected. "I wouldn't go calling her any names in front of him if I were you."  
  
"Well, you're not me so if I were you, I'd keep your mind on your own business," Cruz replied, creating a scene with Faith who wasn't about to back down.  
  
"Just so you know, at one time, he talked about marrying her. You might want to keep that in mind."  
  
Having said what was on her mind, Faith left the room. She wasn't about to stoop to Cruz's level.  
  
Cruz left the scene, arriving at the hospital. She questioned a couple nurses about the location of the attacker.  
  
"I'm sorry, he didn't make it," one nurse replied.  
  
"You seen Officer Boscorelli?" she asked.  
  
"He's in treatment room four," the nurse replied.  
  
Cruz found Bosco in with Nicole. As she watched Bosco sitting beside her bed, his hand in hers, Faith's words rang through her mind. 'At one time, he talked about marrying her.'  
  
Pissed off, Cruz left Angel of Mercy. She made it out to the car before pulling out her cell phone and dialing Bosco's number.  
  
"Boscorelli."  
  
"Hey, where are you?" she asked as calmly as possible.  
  
"I'm at the hospital,' he replied. "Hey look, the attacker...he didn't make it. Doc says the gunshot to his chest was the cause of death."  
  
"Damn," Cruz mumbled. "I'm a few minutes away. How bout if I stop by and pick you up and we can head back to the station. Shift's about over and I'm ready to call it a day if you get my drift."  
  
"Yeah sure fine with me." I replied. "I told ma I'd stop by the bar tonight so maybe we can get together later."  
  
"Sure that'd be great." Cruz replied, seething beneath her somewhat calm exterior.  
  
An hour later, I made my way to my car. I left the precinct headed in one direction.Angel of Mercy.  
  
"You ready to get outta here?" I asked, seeing Nicole sitting in a chair and not on the hospital gurney.  
  
"More than ready," she replied. "I hate these places."  
  
"What the doctor say," I asked, already noticing a bandage on her right arm.  
  
"He put eight stitches in my hand where I cut it on the mirror. I got some bruises on my stomach. From what I hear about this guy, I'm one of the lucky ones."  
  
"Yeah, you are," I replied. "He's really messed up some women; both mentally and physically."  
  
"You know something Bosco," Nicole replied as we got into my car. "Honestly I hadn't thought about you in a long while. Then today, when that guy came in.I really wished we were still going out.maybe you'd drop in like you used to do. But, I did remember something you said once about your job."  
  
"What' that?" I asked, curious as to what I might have said that Nicole would remember given her recent situation.  
  
"You said once that to do your job, you have to stay calm and stay in control of your own mind. Don't let anyone get inside your head and mess up your way of thinking."  
  
"I said that?" I questioned. It wasn't something I remember saying but then Nicole and I didn't do a lot of talking. But, it did sound like something I'd day.  
  
"Yes you did," she assured me. "When that guy shoved me towards the back room, I kept thinking that I had to stay calm. I can't say for certain that staying calm made me think to grab a piece of that mirror but you never know. Maybe it did."  
  
"When we pulled up in front of your store today and I saw Faith," I started to say. I didn't continue for a minute. Nicole read the look on my face.  
  
"You thought something had happened to me?"  
  
"I knew what the call was in regards to and I've seen first hand some of this guys victims."  
  
"I admit I felt a lot better when Faith got there. Maybe it was because she's a woman.maybe because she was a familiar face.I can't be certain. But then when you walked into that back room.how come you weren't with Faith?"  
  
"I wasn't with Faith 'cause I've been working a lot of anti-crime," I explained.  
  
"Anti-crime?"  
  
"It's a special unit. I still work out of the same precinct. I split my time between street patrol and anti-crime."  
  
"I think I like your partnering with Faith a little more than this other woman," Nicole replied, drawing my attention. It wasn't that I hadn't been paying attention to her, it was just that when she referred to Cruz, it made me think.  
  
"Sgt Cruz, she's with anti-crime," I explained.  
  
"She's a little cold if you ask me."  
  
"Here we are," I replied, changing the subject as we arrived at Nicole apartment.  
  
"You coming up?" Nicole asked as she struggled to get out of my car. I sensed that her injuries were a little more serious that she was letting on. Not that I could blame her for not wanting to stay in the hospital 'cause in that aspect, she was a lot like me.  
  
"Sure," I replied, helping her from the car. We made it upstairs without any more problems. The fact that there was an elevator in her building was a big help.  
  
Nicole and I did something that night that we hadn't done before.we talked.a lot.  
  
I was surprised at the number of questions and by her memory of the 55th precinct. I'd forgotten about her being at the Camelot Cup game. She'd met a lot of people that night. She asked about Faith and I told her about what'd happened with Emily. 'Sometimes kids do things that don't make sense. When they think about it later, it doesn't make any more sense to them than it does to their parents at the time it happens.'  
  
"You talk like you're speaking from experience."  
  
"Yeah, I did a few things I can't believe I ever did, haven't we all?" she admitted without going into any further detail.  
  
"Yeah, I suppose I gave my ma a few gray hairs," I said with a laugh.  
  
"How is your mother?" she questioned. I recalled how much she and ma had gotten along. The two of them were a lot alike.  
  
"I think she has a new boyfriend," I stated quite calmly.  
  
"Oh yeah, nice guy I hope?" she replied.  
  
"Yeah he's a nice guy," I said with a tone that made her turn to face me.  
  
"So you've met the guy?"  
  
"I've done more than meet him, I introduced the two of them," I explained as her eyes grew wide before she broke into laughter.  
  
"You did what?" she said between laughs.  
  
"I introduced them, he's one of my bosses," I continued explaining as she continued laughing until her already injured ribs were hurting.  
  
"Rose is dating a cop?"  
  
"No, actually he's a Lieutenant."  
  
"Nice guy I take it?"  
  
"Yeah, Lieu's a good guy," I replied as she smiled. She really was enjoying the fact that I'd fixed ma up with a guy.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said snickering. "I just find it funny that you'd fix your mom up with a guy, especially a cop. I can't believe she's interested in another cop given that she already worries enough about you."  
  
"Yeah me too," I admitted. "Last time I take anyone to ma's bar."  
  
"I take it you're not too happy with her and this Lieutenant?"  
  
"No, its not that, I mean Lieu's a nice guy and I seriously doubt he'd ever hurt her, not like my dad and all the other jag-offs she's dated. It's just a little weird that's all."  
  
"Well, I'm happy for her. She deserves a nice guy."  
  
"Cant argue with you there."  
  
"So what about you?" she inquired. The subject of my love life as Nicole was referring to was almost a closed subject. Almost meaning I didn't want to talk about it. Almost meaning that it wasn't closed until Nicole said so.  
  
"Anyone serious?"  
  
"Na, not really," I sidestepped the issue. "Last serious relationship I was in was with you and we know how that ended."  
  
"Yeah I guess we do," she smiled as she recalled the night outside the precinct. "If I remember correctly I had to ask twice for my key back."  
  
"The way I remember it, you threw my stuff in the street."  
  
"Yeah, and you deserved it."  
  
"Yeah I did," I admitted much to the surprise of Nicole. "I had no right questioning you about your past relationships."  
  
"You mean my past lovers?"  
  
"Them too."  
  
"So what made you decide to work this Anti-crime thing?' she asked, quickly changing the subject. I was all for talking about anything but my love life or lack of a love life. Hell, Cruz was hardly a love life. She was more like a control freak who wanted to control everything about my life including sex . She may be a sergeant at work but when it came to matters of certain parts of my anatomy.let's just say I'm the captain of that ship and she was about to become a woman overboard.  
  
"Faith's husband Fred, he had a heart attack and she was spending a lot of time at the hospital. The opportunity to work Anti-crime came up and I thought it sounded better than riding solo."  
  
"Fred's okay though right?"  
  
"Yeah physically he's okay but emotionally the guys out there," I explained with some of my best facial expressions. Nicole laughed but even my expressions weren't enough for her.  
  
"Emotionally he's out where?"  
  
"Well, he claims he saw Jesus and ever since the surgery you don't see the guy without hearing some 'praise the Lord' crap."  
  
"Oh Lord," Nicole said before grinning as she realized what she'd said. "I hope Faith hasn't turned into Tammy Faye Baker."  
  
"No, she hasn't changed much," I replied. The image of Faith as Tammy Faye was a little unsettling. "I don't know how she lives with the guy. He drives me crazy."  
  
"Short trip Maurice," Nicole couldn't pass that one up.  
  
"You know of everyone I know who knows me, you and ma are the only ones who call me by my given name."  
  
"Maurice?" she repeated, raising her eyebrows at me.  
  
"So what's going on with you and Faith?" I knew that question was going to come up at some point. I was just hoping it was later.  
  
"I don't know. I still see her now and then."  
  
"Obviously she's back at work because she was there today. So why aren't the two of you working together?"  
  
"Like I said, I split my time."  
  
"I know what you said Maurice. What I'm asking is why are you still working Anti-crime if Faith is back?"  
  
"I don't know; it's just something different I guess."  
  
"You guess? Well, if you want my opinion which I know you don't but I'm going to give it to you anyway..I think you belong with Faith. I was there today too you know? The way you interact with Faith versus how you do your job with that Sergeant lady.there's no comparison..none. You and Faith have been partners for what.eight years. You guys are a good thing. You balance one another. I think it'd crazy to give that up for some Anti-crime thing."  
  
"So tell me what you really think?"  
  
"This Sergeant lady isn't worth your time. She's cold.she doesn't have an ounce of compassion in her body. And Faith.she's got her head on straight.she thinks before she reacts. If you were in a tough spot, I mean a really tough spot.you know Faith would give her life for you. What do you think this Sergeant would do? You think she'd be there because honestly, I have my doubts. Serious doubts! You know Faith.you've trusted her for eight years. Eight years, Bosco. She's been to hell and back with you. Look, you give up on working with Faith and it will be the second serious mistake you've made in your life. "And the first mistake?"  
  
"Breaking up with me of course," she replied, almost getting the words out before laughing. Of course, the pillow she tossed at me sort of drove the point home too.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, so we all make mistakes," I said in my defense.  
  
"Well one of us did anyway. There is one big difference between you breaking up with me and you breaking up with Faith."  
  
"Faith and I haven't slept together?"  
  
"Okay maybe there's two differences," she continued after frowning at me. "You haven't messed things up with Faith yet."  
  
"You think so do you?"  
  
"I know so. I saw the two of you today. The two of you don't even have to talk. You can communicate without words. I bet you guys finish each others sentences too."  
  
"Yeah, well."  
  
"Yeah well, you know I'm right. Question is, what are you going to do about it?"  
  
"Nothing tonight," I replied, getting to my feet. "I should get home and let you get some sleep."  
  
"Some things never change," she said, smiling that evil smile I'd seen too many times. "I never did get much sleep with you here."  
  
"Yeah I don't remember hearing you complain?"  
  
"I wasn't complaining, just stating the facts."  
  
"You gonna be alright here by yourself?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. If not, you're the first person I'll call."  
  
"I'm going to hold you to that."  
  
"You know maybe I'll give your mom a call tomorrow. She might need some new lingerie for this new man in her life."  
  
"Don't even go there," I replied with a glare. "That is one image I can live without."  
  
"You're no fun at all," she said. "Fine but I am going to call her."  
  
I managed to make it to the door before Nicole caught my attention.  
  
"Thanks for everything today," she said before placing a soft kiss on my lips. "Take care of yourself."  
  
"I will."  
  
"And think about what I said."  
  
"I will."  
  
By the time I left Nicole's it was well into morning. I did take her advice. I thought a lot about what we had talked about. I thought about what Lieu and I had discussed. I thought about the past eight years of my life. And I thought about the one person who had been a part of my life longer than anyone besides my ma. Nicole was right. I knew it was time to make some serious decisions about my life and my career. I just hoped it wasn't too late. A lot of things had happened both on the job and off. The first thing I had to do was clear up a few things that had happened while working in anti-crime. I wasn't sure what the results would be but I had to clear my name and my conscience. After that, I hoped the rest would fall into place.  
  
To be continued. 


	4. chpater 4

I didn't get much sleep that night. I lay awake for hours going over everything what had happened. At first my mind focused on what was most recent like the past week. From there I went back to the past month, the past six months and at that point, I knew this was a bigger issue than I had thought.  
  
What struck me were the conversations I'd had with people. There was last night's talk with Nicole. Then there was last week's conversation with Lieu. The missing piece to this whole puzzle was that I couldn't remember my last conversation with Faith. It wasn't that I couldn't remember what we had talked about. I plain out couldn't remember the last time we had talked.period. So what did that say for Nicole's idea that Faith and I belonged together. I was having my doubts about what was left of 55-David.  
  
I gave up getting any sleep. My mind was racing and there was no point wasting anymore time lying in my bed. By the time I showered and got dressed it was almost nine o'clock. I picked up the phone, glanced at it for a good thirty seconds before punching some numbers. I hung up before completing the call. The people I needed to talk to I needed to talk to in person. My list was growing.  
  
I decided to start with Faith. That would be the telling sign of what was left of our friendship much less our partnership. But I couldn't help thinking of all the times Faith had been there. We'd been through eight years.even more than that if you go all the way back to the academy. I guess you could say that Faith and I had been together since the beginning when we were just greenhorns at the academy. I was doing my best to fail my required courses and she couldn't hit the target with a cannon much less her firearm of choice. So, the way I figured it, if she hadn't helped me pass the classes I wouldn't be a cop. She owed me. Yeah, now that sounded like the old Bosco talking.  
  
No, it was more than that. There was the life and times of Fred and Faith. I'd been there for half her married life with the guy and I still didn't understand what she saw in him. I was there when had the abortion. Hell, I knew something was in the oven before ole Freddy boy did. And I was there afterwards when she and Fred almost didn't make it. Now you see, that part of her marriage actually made sense to me. I was looking for her when she was trapped with Fred while he had a heart attack. I drove them to the hospital and I was there when she lost all frame of mind and called me damn near every name in the book.  
  
And Faith had been there for me. She was there when I took a dive out a second story window. She was there through all my ma's beatings, listening to me rant and rave like a lunatic while I quickly came unglued each time ma went home with the sorry ass who'd put her in the hospital. And when I lost all frame of mind, she was there for that too even if I did push her away. After a week's suspension, desk duty, and enough therapy to make a sane man lose his marbles, she took me back as her partner. She didn't even give it a thought, agreeing to take me back without a second to consider it.  
  
So, the way I figured it, if 55-David was a cat, we still had a couple lives left. I was about to find out if Faith and I still thought alike. I stood outside her door for a minute or two before finally knocking. The door opened and she too one look at me and motioned for me to come in before disappearing to the kitchen for coffee. I guess she'd seen that look on my face before. The 'can we talk' look cause when ever I showed up with that look, she'd always make coffee. She returned with two cups.  
  
"You don't look like you got much sleep last night," she replied as she handed me a cup.  
  
"I didn't get any sleep last night," I confirmed her suspicion.  
  
"So what kept you awake all night?"  
  
"After work I went by the hospital.met up with Nicole there.I drove her home. She invited me up to her apartment."  
  
"How's she doing?"  
  
"She was fine when I left. I think she was holding up okay," I explained. "She's hurting worse than she's letting on but she'll be okay."  
  
"She surprised me yesterday," Faith replied, not taking her eyes off me. "Hell, the whole incident surprised me. But to have the state of mind to grab that piece of broken mirror and then to lash out at the guy..she's a tougher gal than I ever gave her credit for."  
  
"Mind control," I replied getting a curious look from Faith. "That's what she told me. She said she remembered me telling her that to do my job, you have to stay in control of your own mind and not let anyone else mess with your thinking."  
  
"She was in control all right. So you spent the night at Nicole's place?"  
  
"No, I left around four o'clock. We talked a lot last night."  
  
"Wow, from after work 'til four o'clock in the morning. I guess you guys talked."  
  
"Something like that I guess. She wanted to know why we didn't show up at the scene together. How come I wasn't working with you?"  
  
"What'd you tell her?"  
  
"That sometimes we work together and other times I work anti-crime."  
  
"Well you told her the truth."  
  
"Yeah. She has some pretty strong opinions of that too. She thinks Cruz is cold although I'm sure she was thinking something else. And she seems to think that you and I should be partners 100% of the time."  
  
"I got to agree with her there. Cruz is cold and she doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself. I know you don't want to hear this but it's the truth Bos."  
  
"You're right."  
  
"She uses people. She uses anyone and everyone just so that she can be right and it makes me sick how she stooped so low as to use kids.  
  
"You're right Faith."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I lied to you."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"The dying confession.I didn't hear it.the guy was dead, he wasn't giving any dying confession."  
  
"I knew that Bosco, not the part about the guy being dead but the part about the confession. I knew you were lying to me. I saw the look in your eyes when you told me he'd confessed. I knew you were lying to me."  
  
I knew you knew I was lying.I don't know. Maybe I was thinking right. I wanted that guy for what he did to Miguel..then we got ambushed and the guy shot up the bus with Miguel and his mom in back. It wasn't right.none of it...Miguel witnessing the shooting then he gets threatened.breaking into his home..getting shot in the bus. I wanted that guy so bad and I was ready to do anything to bring him down."  
  
"I know that Bosco. Miguel was the real victim there. The kid didn't do anything to deserve what happened to him and I know how much you hate it when kids get hurt."  
  
"That was no excuse for what I did. I let Cruz lead me around like a lost puppy. She's a dirty cop Faith. I knew it and I kept right on working with her. Hell, I did more than just work with her."  
  
"Bosco?" Faith replied. I knew what she was thinking and she was right. Trouble was I couldn't bring myself to actually say the words. She saved me the trouble.  
  
"You slept with her?"  
  
Faith could read me like a book and usually she did so through my eyes. I could talk a good lie but when it came down to my eyes, the truth was always right there and Faith knew that. It took everything I had to look her in the eye at that moment. But, I also knew I'd be facing a lot worse when I got to the precinct.  
  
"Yeah, the night her sister died in the fire," I admitted. "It was just the one time although that was more than enough for me. Cruz though, she wanted more. I just couldn't do it. Hell, I lied to her and told her I couldn't get it up just so I wouldn't have to sleep with her again."  
  
My last comment brought a smile to Faith's face. It was one of those 'I'm really trying not to smile but I can't help myself' smiles. I didn't blame her. Just the fact that she smiled at me was a good sign.  
  
"So what are you gonna do now?"  
  
"I'm headed over to talk to Lieu and see what he thinks. He's gonna be pissed and he has every right to be."  
  
"He will be Bosco but Lieu's a fair guy. He always has been."  
  
"Yeah, I know. From there, I don't know what's gonna happen. I lied about evidence Faith and I'm not sure how the departments going to deal with that."  
  
"I don't know but whatever happens, I'm on your side. You know that right?"  
  
"Yeah, but it's nice to hear you actually say the words."  
  
"So all this is a result of talking with Nicole?"  
  
"Like I said, we had a long talk."  
  
"Sounds like it. From after eleven 'til four o'clock. Damn Bosco, you and Nicole, together at her place for five hours and all you did was talk?"  
  
"Well there was this one little kiss."  
  
"A ha, just like I figured. Remind me to thank her by the way. She got through to you in one night after I failed to do so with weeks of effort."  
  
"Was that an "I told you so"?  
  
"Nope, that my friend, was an "I'm on your side".  
  
"Thanks Faith. I better get going."  
  
"Call me later?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll do that."  
  
I left Faith's apartment with a somewhat lighter heart. I knew I hadn't lost my best friend and she still believed in me despite having lied to her. I had a feeling that talking to Faith was going to be the easy part of my day. But, at least I still had my partner. Now all I had to do was save my job.  
  
My next stop was to talk with Lieu and I caught up with him at the 55th. He was more than curious as to what I needed to talk to him about since I had been vague on the phone earlier.  
  
"Hey Lieu," I replied.  
  
"Boscorelli, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show."  
  
"Sorry 'bout that. I stopped off on the way over and talked to Faith."  
  
"So you wanted to talk."  
  
"Can we go some where a little more private?" I inquired.  
  
"Of course," Lieu replied leading the way into an office. Closing the door behind him, Lieu turned to face me, his mind full of questions.  
  
"First of all, what I have to say is not good. Actually it can't get much worse than what it is right now."  
  
"Why don't you start at the beginning," Lieu suggested.  
  
"It has to do with Cruz and anti-crime," I replied, still standing although Lieu had taken a seat after I told him this wasn't good.  
  
"I figured as much," he replied but gestured for me to continue which I did.  
  
"I may as well just tell you the worst thing first. I lied about evidence in the case with Miguel."  
  
I watched as Lieu's face remained unchanged. For now he was content with just listening to me.  
  
"I didn't actually hear the dying confession. Hell, I thought the guy was dead so how could he give a dying declaration?"  
  
I went on to explain everything. I told Lieu about the drugs Cruz had on her, the way she 'discovered' evidence, the manner in which she used the kids. I knew that was wrong but at the time, I just wanted something, anything, to keep Miguel from having to testify in that case. The kid had been through enough. I explained the situation with Cruz's sister right down to the night after her sister died. For some reason, I don't think that part surprised him. At one point, he excused himself. He returned with the case file. I wasn't sure why but he scoured the thing from page one to the end.  
  
"Everything in this file that has a signature is that of Sgt Cruz. However, if I know her like I think I do she'll do anything and that includes dragging your name into this. Now she is the senior officer in this which is why her name in on the reports. That's in your favor. It's also in your favor that you are not a full-fledged member of Anti-Crime so that being the case, there was no probationary period for you so she's responsible for your actions while under her command."  
  
"Now the problem is this. You're a sworn officer of the law and lying about evidence is not to be taken lightly. On the other side of this, Sgt Cruz doesn't have a clean record. You've had a few scrapes within the department as well but nothing that serious; a few too many tardies isn't that serious. It's not good but it's not that bad."  
  
"What do you think Lieu? Bottom line?"  
  
"Bottom line, I think you're looking at a suspension although I wouldn't make a guess as to how long. There are some other extenuating circumstances here that may factor in to that."  
  
"So what do I do now?"  
  
The next few hours I felt like a kid in the principal's office and the principal wasn't my pal either. I've witnessed murder suspects getting less questioning that I got that afternoon. I faced more brass than I ever cared to see. To be honest, for the first time since I joined the force, I was afraid.afraid that I was going to lose my job. I know Lieu thought I was probably facing a suspension and that should have made me feel a little better but it didn't.  
  
The worst thing that could happen was to drag this out any longer than necessary and that was exactly what happened. I worked with Faith that night. 55-David rides again. I told her everything that had happened. She thought it wouldn't be so bad. Besides, if they were going to terminate my job, they surely wouldn't have put me out on the streets right? I hoped she was right.  
  
I was headed for another sleepless night. Once in a while that was something I could handle but two days in a row.even I would admit I was getting a little too old to pull that one off. So I took a sleeping pill, tried to calm down, and at some point, fell asleep.  
  
I woke up around 7:30 the next morning. I was just getting out of the shower when the phone rang. It was Lieu. They wanted to talk to me.as soon as possible.  
  
Now I could end this right here and leave you all to wonder what happens but I'm too nice to do that to you. So, read on and see what happens.  
  
I arrived at the station around 9 o'clock. I sat in an eight foot by ten foot office for another hour before Lieu came in. They were ready to see me,  
  
The same brass was there again only this time they were all in one room at one time. They were prepared to offer me a deal. It didn't matter if I agreed or not, I was facing a two week suspension for lying about evidence. I could accept that. Any additional action against me depended upon the deal they were offering.  
  
Bottom line is they wanted Cruz and I was the guy who they wanted to take her down. They offered no immediate details on how or when that would take place. That wasn't part of the deal. I either agreed to whatever they came up with or there was no deal.  
  
"You want me to take down another cop?" I questioned with some serious doubt.  
  
"We need your help," was their only comment.  
  
"Dirty cop or not, she's still another cop," I argued although from the look on Lieu's face, it was pointless. Reluctantly I agreed although I had heard too many stories about what happens when one cop turns on another. I felt I had no choice.  
  
"So, when does the suspension take effect?" Faith asked me later when we were on patrol.  
  
"I'm not sure. They don't want to raise suspicion by suspending me now. I'll serve my suspension afterwards.'  
  
"So you help them take down a dirty cop and you serve a two-week suspension, that's it?"  
  
"No, the rest was pretty cut and dried. I'm out of anti-crime for at least two years. I have basically no chance at ESU and I'm not allowed to sit for the sergeant's test for two years."  
  
"And how do you fell about all of that?"  
  
"I can't get far enough away from anti-crime. I'd pretty much given up on ESU after the whole Hobart incident and the Sergeant's test?....you've seen me and desk duty right? You think I wanna do that full-time?"  
  
"So you're really okay with all of this?"  
  
"I guess that depends."  
  
"Depends on what?"  
  
"Depends on if you still need a partner?"  
  
"You know anyone who'd be interested?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"It's a full-time position. I don't want a partner who works here two days a week and three days somewhere else. I'm not always an easy person to work with and I'm not talking about that time of the month either. I get to drive at least half the time. I'm looking for a long term commitment; at least say..two years."  
  
"Yeah well your demands are a little tough. You might have a hard time finding someone who meets your standards."  
  
"Yeah I guess."  
  
"So, until you find the right person, I guess you're stuck with me."  
  
"I can live with that."  
  
You know they say family is family and friends are friends. You get to choose your friends but your family. You're either born with them already there waiting for you or you're there when they come into the world. In my case, I got a father somewhere and I got a little brother somewhere. Neither one of them was my choice. Just the way it is.  
  
Faith and me, that was my doing.well, our doing. It's a friendship that takes time and it takes a little give and take and sometimes it takes an ex- girlfriend. But whatever it takes, when you find a good one, you hang on with everything you got and then.you give a little more.  
  
To be continued. 


	5. chapter 5

Every day for the following week I got a phone call from someone in the department's brass. And every day I met with someone at a different location. This strategic planning as they liked to call it was getting old real fast. It had to end and end soon. The days I worked with Faith I was fine but then there were the days I was stuck in anti-crime with Cruz. Hell, I had so much disrespect for the woman I couldn't even refer to her as Sgt anymore. She didn't deserve the title.  
  
I realized something else during those days. The role of sergeant just wasn't my thing. Here I was in this mess as a result of working with Cruz and before that I was in knee deep whenever I was around Sgt Christopher. Nope. Sergeants just weren't my thing. I took that as an omen that I was destined to be on patrol for a long time.  
  
Ten days after I agreed to accept the offer, I got another call. The brass had come to a decision. The point of the call was to prepare me. The only problem was I now knew when they would be taking her down. I still didn't know how. The idea that they trusted me to complete their dirty work but didn't trust me to know how was a slap in the face.  
  
One afternoon, she walked into the evidence room and showed me the vast amounts of drugs we held inside the precinct.  
  
"Evidence" she said. "After the trial, the son of a bitch gets a slap on the wrist and we put him back out on the streets. The confiscated drugs are back out there too.long before our perp."  
  
"So what's the answer?" I asked, aware that this type of talk meant it was going to be a long day.  
  
She had her own plans although at the time I wasn't aware of them. I was too focused on sticking with a plan of my own. Well, not my plan actually. If it were my plan, I would have known what it was. I was as in the dark about this as Cruz was. They were in the planning stages as they put it. Trouble was it wasn't being planned fast enough for me. Her one-woman crusade to rid the streets of drugs was going to get us both killed before I had a chance to take her down. She was out of control. Something had to give.  
  
I called Lieu the next morning. He was concerned about how things were going between me and Cruz. I told him what had been going on, raising more red flags. He promised to talk to the Chief. In the meantime, I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. That's how bad this was. I was starting to believe in this 'luck' thing. Of course I didn't share that thought with Faith. I tried not to share any of this with her but she'd take one look in my eyes and I'd wind up telling her everything. So, the end result was not only was I concerned with how this was playing itself out but now I had Lieu and Faith worried as well. Somehow I managed to keep all this from ma. I knew she was seeing Lieu and I had to hand it to the guy. I know my ma and being that I'm her favorite subject of discussion, it had to be hard on Lieu. I had missed two Saturdays with her now although Lieu was there. Still, it was only a matter of time before she started to ask questions. My life was a living hell.  
  
One particular afternoon, Cruz and I raided a suspected drug house. We called for backup. Six uniformed officers arrived and we broke the door down. Inside the place looked like a pharmacy only no pharmacist was on- duty.our dealer had been tipped off. It was obvious from the state of things that he hadn't been gone long and he'd been in one hell of a hurry to get out of there. Had we gone around back, there would have been no need to break down the door. Swinging in the breeze was the screen door.  
  
The next three days we repeated these raids, each time coming up empty. It was all just a little too coincidental for me.  
  
After work one night I joined several others for a beer. Faith joined us that night too which would have surprised me except that I knew she was worried about me. The two of us were sitting alone at a table not far from Jimmy and the Squad 55 boys. They were discussing a fire. What caught my attention was one particular piece of information.the location. Cruz and I had been there earlier that afternoon. It had been just one of the suspected drug houses we'd been raiding with no luck.  
  
"I swear half the neighborhood was outside," Jimmy explained.  
  
"Taking advantage of a free buzz," D.K. added.  
  
"Hey Jimmy?" I called out to their table. "That fire today.what happened?"  
  
"I don't know exactly but we had quite an audience."  
  
"Old brick building on 88th Street?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, we had a hell of a time getting inside. Place was a total loss."  
  
"Any idea what started it?"  
  
"Hey D K, you hear what the cause was of that fire.the drug house?" Jimmy referred the question.  
  
"I heard it started in a bedroom.Mister Match meets Miss Mattress and poof."  
  
"I don't believe it," I said shaking my head.  
  
"Happens all the time Bosco," Jimmy commented. I knew it happened and it happened too often but this time it wasn't an accident. I was sure of that.  
  
The next morning I called Lieu. We met over coffee. The word of the day was to be 'coffee'. We had coffee while I told him what I'd heard at the bar. We had coffee while we waited to talk to the Chief. We had more coffee while we waited to talk to the Fire Marshall. And when we finally got to talk to him.he offered us coffee.  
  
After a few questions on our part and a few more on his part, he left the room returning soon after. We sat there while he flipped through a report; page after page after page. Finally he picked up the phone. A young guy, no older than twenty-two entered the office, handing the Marshall another much shorter report. He handed copies to the Chief and to Lieu. I glanced over Lieu's shoulder, reading his copy. After a minute or two, Lieu gave up and handed me his copy.  
  
"Look it over Bosco," the Chief instructed. "I need to know if you and Sgt. Cruz were at any of these locations."  
  
I took the list and scanned it several times. It contained addresses of fires that had occurred in the past week, all within the 55th precinct. When my eyes reached the bottom of the list, I started at the top again. This time I visualized where I'd been starting with three days ago. With an idea of streets and blocks in mind, I read the list again. I repeated it with the locations I'd been to two days ago and finally with yesterday.  
  
The past three days, Anti-Crime had raided a total of twenty-six locations. Cruz and I had been involved in seven of those. Along with the one I'd overheard Jimmy discussing, five more appeared on the list. Cruz was six for seven. Her plan had changed. Instead of taking down the dealers, she was going after the drug houses. I knew she'd go to any means to get the job done. Burning the drug houses, now that might work and I knew exactly where she'd got the idea.  
  
From what the Fire Marshall reported, the fires were believed to have started with a mattress and a match much like someone who falls asleep smoking in bed. It smolders for a while before taking on a life of its own. Outside the fire fighters battle to get inside, trapped outside locks, steel doors, and iron bars on windows. Hell, it would have been easier to break into Fort Knox. While the firefighters fought to get inside, the fire raged leaving nothing to file away in the precinct Evidence Room. No Exhibit A.no Exhibit B..nothing to put back out on the streets.  
  
When you think about it, her whole mission from the start was to rid the streets of drugs. She was doing just that.ridding the streets of drugs.one building at a time. The only problem with our theory was we had no proof. What we had was a mentally unstable, vindictive officer, intent on revenge for her sister's death. She'd stop at nothing and the combination was almost as explosive as what was inside those drug houses. The war on drugs was about to take on a whole new twist. 


	6. chapter 6

After talking with the brass for half the afternoon, I had a bad feeling. It didn't seem to me that the department was in a big hurry for me to take Cruz down. But now I'd presented them with a theory that was too much of a coincidence to ignore. Trouble was, even with my theory, I knew they were going to drag their feet a while longer. Cruz was a loose cannon and every hour I worked with her made me feel more ill at ease. I needed to resolve this as soon as possible.  
  
Cruz and I got back in around 11:15. During a break, I'd called Faith and asked if she wanted to meet me for a beer. She'd offered to wait for me at the precinct but I didn't think that was a good idea. Besides, it threw a monkey wrench into the other part of my plan. I had no intentions to see Cruz after work. My plan was to develop a stomach ache around 10 o'clock. It would gradually get worse over the course of the next hour. Arriving back at the station I would make a comment about stopping by ma's bar and give her a chance to play mom.. I figured if I talked about going home then Cruz might want to come with just to make sure I was okay. So, by bringing ma into the equation, she'd know that I wasn't home alone. And since I had no intentions of going home, by saying I was going to ma's, Cruz wouldn't get suspicious if she called and got no answer at my place.  
  
In fact, I would be meeting Faith and a few others at ma's bar so that part was actually true. Cruz had never met ma and she had no idea where her bar was or even what it was called. I knew that since it was Friday night, ma would be too busy working to join us at least not for any length of time. Faith was taking care of things on her end. She'd talk to Sully and Ty. I knew I could count on Ty but I wasn't sure about Sully. Instead of worrying about it, I did was made logical sense. I put my faith in Faith. Besides I had enough on my mind.  
  
Around 11:35 I walked into ma's bar. She greeted me with a hug and I knew the snickering was coming from our table. Faith had outdone herself. Not only were Sully and Ty there but she had most of Squad 55 there as well as Alex and Kim. I wasn't sure I liked the idea.  
  
Faith met me at the bar where we talked with ma for a few minutes. When ma went back to work, Faith explained her theory.  
  
"Look, they already know about the fire yesterday and it'll only be a matter of time before word gets out of the arsons. We may not need their help but what if we do? I'd rather they know the facts."  
  
I listened to what Faith had to say. I still had my doubts but I reluctantly agreed with her.  
  
"Fine but they don't need to know everything, just the stuff to do with the fires."  
  
"Deal."  
  
We joined the others.  
  
"So, what's going on?" Sully was quick to ask. It was nearing the time when the old guy turned into a pumpkin so I wasted no time getting to the point.  
  
"Jimmy, you remember that fire we talked about last night?"  
  
"Yeah, the one where the whole neighborhood came out to watch."  
  
"That's the one," I confirmed.  
  
"We were talking about that earlier," D K commented. "Boss said it was no accident."  
  
"What's all this about Bosco?" Ty asked.  
  
"There was a fire at a drug house yesterday. Fire Marshall thinks it was arson. That one fire wasn't an isolated incident. I'm pretty sure I know who's behind them."  
  
"Them?" D K asked.  
  
"I've been working Anti-crime for the past few days. We've conducted drug raids on almost thirty buildings. I've been to seven. The same day we raided them six of the seven burned."  
  
"Damn," Jimmy replied, his words echoing the thoughts of everyone at the table.  
  
"So what are you saying; a cop did this?" Alex questioned.  
  
"So how many officers were in the buildings?" Sully asked.  
  
"At the time of the raids, it varied; usually between eight and ten."  
  
"And it probably wasn't the same eight or ten each time either," Ty replied. "That doesn't narrow it down much."  
  
"No Ty it wasn't. Each place we raided we came up empty. No one inside.always abandoned in a hurry. Each time though the other officers left and we went over the place, looking for anything to tie the locations together. Before we left we went through each place one last time. At that time there were only two of us inside."  
  
"And if you were setting these fires, you wouldn't be here telling us about it." D K concluded.  
  
"Who is it Bosco?" Jimmy asked with a look in his eyes that I'd never seen before. I didn't blame him for how he felt about this. His life was on the line every time a call came in and to learn that it was set was a tough pill to swallow.  
  
"Sergeant Cruz," I replied, my feelings at the moment were the same ones Jimmy was experiencing.  
  
"You're telling me a Sergeant is behind this?" he asked.  
  
"Her sister was a drug addict. Cruz did everything she could to keep her clean."  
  
"Is this the same girl we dropped everything on about a month or so ago?" Ty asked.  
  
"Yeah, same girl Ty. Cruz tried to keep her clean but with all the drug houses and dealers it was a losing battle. Her sister died at the drug house that exploded. Since then she's out for revenge and if she can't take down the dealers, she'd going after the drug houses."  
  
"Who all knows about this? Sully asked.  
  
"I talked with Lieu about it. He brought in the top brass and the Fire Marshall. I'm sure they plan on doing something but who knows when. Personally, this is getting a little too personal for me. If I had my way, I wouldn't be working with her but that's not how the brass sees it."  
  
"So where do we come in?" Alex questioned. "I mean I take it were not here for just a beer?"  
  
"So far we've been lucky. The houses have all been empty. I don't have much notice on where the next raid will be but with Cruz and I doing one final sweep of each location, I'm hoping to get a minute to make a call. I'll let Faith know where we are and she's going to relay that to you guys. If I can give you guys a heads up on where we are, at least you'll know where we are and what you're facing. I don't want a replay of that first fire."  
  
"I wish we could be closer to where you are but I don't know how we'd do that without the Chief finding out," D K replied.  
  
"You're right about that first fire," Jimmy added. "That was a little too close if you ask me."  
  
"Anyway, I wanted you guys to know what's going on," I explained. "Besides if I hadn't over heard you talking about that first fire, I wouldn't have put two and two together."  
  
"Then I'm glad we were all here," Jimmy said patting me on the shoulder. "Thanks for the info. I gotta get going."  
  
"Can you give me a ride?" Kim asked as Jimmy turned to leave.  
  
"Sure, I guess," Jimmy replied before he left with Kim.  
  
"Me too Bosco," Sully said swallowing one last drink of beer. "Take it easy out there. Call us if you need anything."  
  
"I will, thanks Sul."  
  
The rest of the bucket boys left as well with the exception of Ty and Alex.  
  
"There's more to this isn't there," Ty questioned with that strictly Ty look. The guy had this persistent child like look that when he got something on his mind, you weren't going to change it. I had my doubts when he joined the force especially since he was training with Sully but Ty's okay. He'd figured this one out.  
  
I looked at Faith who nodded. Ty, Faith, Alex and I left, getting in my car. As we drove I explained the truth, the whole truth, leaving nothing out but one the one night I'd spent at Cruz's place. That much remained between Faith and I.  
  
"I'm really sorry about all this Bosco," Alex replied. "It's like your damned if you do and you're damned if you don't."  
  
"That's pretty much it Alex," I agreed with her, especially the delicate way she put it. The girl had a way with words.  
  
I dropped Ty off and Alex got out as well. I had a feeling that was going to happen but I didn't say anything. Faith and I rode in silence for a mile or so.  
  
"You did good partner," I replied, looking her way. She smiled and I had this feeling she had something on her mind.  
  
"Its almost over Bos," she replied with the most positive look I've ever seen. "Then maybe things will get back to normal."  
  
"Normal?" I asked. "What's normal?"  
  
"Normal is you and me Bosco. You know 55-David?" she smiled as she explained. "Normal is you being late for role call. Normal is you getting under Christopher's skin. Normal is your comments about Sully and Krispy Kremes. Normal is you eating all the fries. Normal is."  
  
"Alright, alright, I get it" I laughed, glancing over at her. "If it was this nice just talking to her in my car, I can imagine how it would be to work with her again. I really hoped this would all be over soon.  
  
Three days and two fires later I was nearing the end of my rope. The brass was still making plans as they called it. I called it stalling and I'd had enough. Faith and I moved on to plan B. If we were on a drug raid, I'd find an opportunity to call her. She'd move to the sector I was currently located in. The next day Ty and Sully agreed to do the same. I'd made up my mind that Cruz was going down.she was going down soon.she was going down on my terms.  
  
I was off the following day so I spent it trying to catch up on my sleep. I'd had too many nights with little or no sleep. Right now I needed to have a clear head. I needed to be able to think clearly and I couldn't do that if I wasn't sleeping. It was a good thing I had the day off. I managed to get some rest and clear my head. That night though, I think I only slept five hours. Cruz and I were scheduled to work again the next afternoon. I was in no mood to deal with her. I knew it. Lieu knew it. Hell, Cruz knew it. What the hell was anyone doing about it?  
  
"What's your problem today?" she asked with that my mouth is full of shit voice.  
  
"Sleep, I didn't get much sleep. When I don't sleep, I get grouchy. That okay with you?"  
  
"No, it's not okay with me. It's not my problem so deal with it. I don't have to deal with you."  
  
"What's going on today?" I asked wondering if another drug raid was in my future.  
  
She didn't respond causing me to make a quick check of my coat pocket. My cell phone was there. I'd made sure it was fully charged. I wasn't going to get trapped in another building hoping my radio worked.  
  
It was after eight o'clock when we made our first raid. I followed Cruz inside, once again not finding a single sole. Greeted once again by empty premises, with the exception of lots of cash, drugs, and an unlocked back door. Seven backup officers were on scene. It was after nine o'clock when the last left. As we searched the place during that hour I made mental notes of the location of the bedrooms, the front and rear door, and any squeaks in the flooring between the two. With it just down to me and Cruz, she headed upstairs. I headed for the doors making sure both the front and rear doors were unlocked. I could hear Cruz walking around upstairs. While she was on the north end of the house, I headed for the south side, making my call to Faith.  
  
I made my way upstairs. Being as quiet as possible was easy since I knew exactly which spots to avoid walking. Finding her location was easy but what I found shocked the hell outta me. For the first time, we weren't alone. She had a guy with her. Handcuffed,face down on the bed was what I guessed was a dealer. Straddling the guy with her gun in his back, she spoke in a quiet voice. I couldn't make out what she was saying. As she crawled off the guy, I watched as she pulled out what appeared to be a flask. As she started to turn I pulled back into the hallway hoping she hadn't seen me. From my stand point, I could watch her in the dresser mirror. She doused the bed with whatever was in the flask before reaching in another pocket, pulling out a second flask. She then poured the contents of this one on the floor as she headed towards the door. I took a deep breath, still not believing what I was seeing. Every bone in my body suspected this was going on but to stand there and watch it was unreal. As she stepped outside the door, I raised my gun. She turned to find me standing there, gun in position to take her down. One shot was all it would take. I didn't want to use my gun if it was at all possible. I could say that she was a cop and that was the reason but the truth of the matter was that one gunshot was the easy way out and she deserved worse..far worse.  
  
"Boscorelli, what the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked surprised that I was there.  
  
"Trying to keep you from making a big mistake," I explained never lowering my weapon.  
  
"Stopping me would be the mistake," she replied in a calm voice which made the hairs on my arm stand. "You've seen what the likes of these people do. We take him in he'll be back on the streets before we get off duty. Why waste our time. I can take care of him myself right here."  
  
"No, its not going to happen. Not today," I replied as I watched her pull a book of matches from her pocket.  
  
"So who's gonna stop me?" she asked. "You? I drop this match and then what? You gonna stay here and try to rescue that scum.gonna be the big hero? Tell you what, you wanna stay here and play hero, you do that. But while you're doing that, I'll be outta here so fast."  
  
"I don't think so," a voice from the other end of the hall replied. Cruz turned to see Faith standing at the top of the stairs.  
  
"What the hell is she doing here?" Cruz said her voice showing her agitation.  
  
"I'm here with Bosco. You might not understand it but its something called partners," Faith explained, her weapon drawn on Cruz as well.  
  
"Oh I get it. You're jealous. Boscorelli's been working with me lately and you can't take it."  
  
"I can take anything you dish out," Faith responded.  
  
"So what's it gonna be?" Cruz asked another question as she glanced between the two of us. "You gonna shoot me Boscorelli or is you 'partner' gonna do it? Then what.you both leave me here to die in the fire while you rescue that scum in there. You won't make it out this time. This place will be nothing but embers by the time the fire department gets here."  
  
"Wrong again," Sully replied as he moved in behind Faith. I couldn't see Ty but I knew he was there as well.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Cruz replied being the usual bitch that she was.  
  
"Take a look out that window," Ty replied from his location. Cruz stepped towards the window just far enough to see two engines standing by just across the street but within a safe distance.  
  
She was pissed and what happened next happened so fast I don't think I really know what all happened. All I know is I saw a flash as the match scraped against the wall igniting it before she dropped the match onto the carpet. The flame followed the trail of whatever she poured from the flasks. As she turned towards the stairs, Faith slammed her into the wall. Sully and Ty moved in behind her, quickly getting her in handcuffs and escorting her from the property. After trying to stomp out the thin line of flames, Faith and I managed to get inside the bedroom. As Sully and Ty escorted Cruz out the front door, the fire department converged on the house, dragging hoses with them.  
  
Inside that bedroom Faith and I watched as the flames once again came to life. We'd managed to douse them once but the contents of that flask had seeped down into the carpet and it wasn't long before the flames were closing in around us. Without much time to think, we uncuffed the guy on the bed. I had three handcuff keys and it was the third one that released the locks. By the time we did that, Jimmy and DK were in the hallway, knocking down the flames. The room was smoking, making it difficult to breathe much less see where we were going. All I knew was that Faith was right beside me, right where she belonged.  
  
Five minutes later, I was tired of the fussing Kim and Alex were making over us. I'd inhaled some smoke but it was no big deal. I was growing accustomed to it. It was while they were administering oxygen that three of the top brass showed up followed by Lieu.  
  
"What the hell's going on here?" one of them questioned, not at all happy.  
  
"I believe it's called arson with a little case of attempted murder thrown in," I explained.  
  
"What?" Lieu asked.  
  
"Cruz was upstairs in a bedroom. When I went upstairs she had a guy handcuffed on the bed, dousing it with something."  
  
"Then she threatened to light a match," Faith added.  
  
"Course she didn't know the fire department was right outside," Ty added.  
  
"Actually she thought it was just her and Bosco inside," Sully added. "For once Bosco, you called for backup."  
  
"What do you know about this?" the question was aimed at the fire department captain.  
  
"Someone called in a report of smoke coming from a building."  
  
"Where'd the call originate?"  
  
"It was called into the station." The captain explained.  
  
"Who called it in? Did he leave a name?"  
  
"No, actually it was a she and no she didn't leave a name."  
  
"So what are all of you doing here?" the chief referred to Faith, Sully and Ty.  
  
"Well, I called Faith," I explained.  
  
"And I called Sully and Ty," Faith explained her part of this.  
  
"And they called me on my cell phone," Kim explained.  
  
"Then Kim and I used our cell phones to call the station at the same time," Alex explained.  
  
"When two lines rang at once, the Captain picked up one and I picked up the other one," Jimmy explained.  
  
"I hung up after saying I had a wrong number," Kim replied.  
  
"While I gave the boys this address," Alex replied, gesturing towards the drug house.  
  
By this time there was a crowd surrounding the department brass. Lieu couldn't help but smile at all of this. The rest of them were shaking their heads trying to follow it all.  
  
"King and Arthur.Camelot," Lieu replied after being silent in all of this.  
  
"What's that?" the Chief asked.  
  
"What happened here today just reminded me of the old days You put the King and Arthur fire department with the King and Arthur police department and what do you get?"  
  
"Camelot," Sully replied.  
  
The Chief couldn't help but smile. He knew all to well what Lieu was talking about. "I'll expect a full report on this.on my desk.before role call Boscorelli."  
  
"Yes sir," I replied with a hardy salute. The chief smiled, returning my salute, before shaking his head and walking away.  
  
"Sir?" I replied, getting his attention.  
  
"What about my two weeks suspension?" I asked.  
  
"What suspension?" he replied, smiling before turning to leave once more.  
  
As the scene started to break up, I suddenly realized something.  
  
"Damn it!"  
  
"Bosco, what is it?" Faith asked.  
  
"Cruz, she's got the keys to the car," I replied slamming my hand on the car hood.  
  
"Sully gave them to the Lieutenant," Lieu explained. "I think he took the car back in."  
  
I glanced over not seeing the car I'd arrived in. Turning my attention to Faith, she read my mind and smiled.  
  
"You wanna drive.partner," she asked.  
  
"Nope, I think I'll ride," I said, opening the passenger door.  
  
"So, you up for a beer after work?" Faith asked.  
  
"A beer would be great but after today, I might need something a little stronger," I replied as Faith started up the car.  
  
In one night, two traditions were re-born. Camelot had returned, drawn out of mothballs after a good fifteen years. But most importantly, 55-David was patrolling the streets of New York City.  
  
"I give you a week," Faith replied, looking over at me.  
  
"A week? For what?" I asked.  
  
"Before you're ducking calls and Sully's bitching about it," she barely got the words out before breaking into what I can only call a Faith laugh.  
  
"A whole week huh?" I laughed. It might take that long but I doubted it.  
  
We got back to the precinct shortly before eleven. There were a lot of people on the streets. Most of them were firemen from across the street. Jimmy jogged over to invite us to have a beer with them.  
  
A half hour later Haggerty's was getting crowded. I was sitting at a table with Faith when Jimmy and DK arrived. Strolling over to our table, I watched as Jimmy pulled something from behind his back.  
  
"We talked to the Capt tonight and decided that you should have this," he said, handing me a medium sized box..  
  
I glanced at the box then at Jimmy and across the table at Faith. Finally I opened the box. Inside I found a Squad 57 helmet. This was too much.  
  
"We figured you might need one of those," D K replied with a laugh.  
  
"Hell, lately you've been to as many fires as we have," Jimmy added. "You keep it up we'll get you a turnout coat to go with it."  
  
"I'm kinda hoping that won't be necessary," I said with a smile. "Thanks guys."  
  
Faith managed to hold her laughter until Jimmy and DK had left the table. She tried to cover it but she never had been very good at that sort of thing.  
  
"That was sweet," she replied. "I think they're actually starting to care about you Bos."  
  
"Yeah sure," I debated the idea. "Give 'em a week and they'll be calling us to direct traffic again."  
  
We stayed at Haggerty's for about an hour. Just long enough for the helmet story to get around and for Kim and Alex to repeatedly question me on how I was feeling. Obviously they'd forgotten that Faith was in the smoke-filled room with me. Or, they had just decided to ignore that little fact.  
  
The next day I arrived at the station by one thirty. I figured that would give me time to complete my report. Faith had agreed to come in a little early too so, between the two of us, the report would be on the Chief's desk.  
  
Role call started right at three o'clock. The report was turned in and Faith and I were sitting in our usual back row seats. Before sending us out on the streets, Lieu passed around a small cardboard box.  
  
"Camelot pins," Sully replied as the box reached him.  
  
"I don't recall when or why exactly we stopped wearing the pins," Lieu explained after telling the story behind the pins. According to Sully, it's been at least fifteen years since we'd last wore the pins. Of course, several old timers had continued wearing them but for the new recruits, it became a past tradition whose time had come and gone.  
  
Faith grabbed our radios as we headed out. We'd been on patrol for only about a half hour when she brought up the subject.  
  
"So, you seen Nicole since that long discussion the two of you had?"  
  
"No, lately sleep hasn't come easy for obvious reasons," I explained. "Long, well into mornings conversations have been out of the question."  
  
"So now that things have settled down, maybe you should call her," she suggested.  
  
"Maybe," was all I had to say. I'd be the first to admit that things hadn't ended well with Nicole and I knew that most of the blame for that was mine. I'd changed a lot since then, especially during the past few months. The long talk we had was nice. Okay so it was more than nice. It'd been a real eye-opener to a lot of things.  
  
"You know, I still owe her a thank you," Faith replied.  
  
"So maybe we should swing by her store and you could tell her," I suggested, knowing full well Faith was going to read more into it.  
  
"Good idea," she said. Ten minutes later we pulled up in front of Nicole's store.  
  
'Hey you two, back together I see," Nicole greeted the two as they entered her store.  
  
"How you feeling?" I asked remembering her stitches and bruised ribs.  
  
"Better than I was the last time I talked to you," Nicole replied before turning her attention to Faith. "How's it feel working with him again?"  
  
Oh great. Two women in a room together and suddenly I'm invisible.  
  
"It's only been a half hour or so," Faith replied after glancing at her watch. "Ask me that again in a week or so?"  
  
"How's your mom?" Nicole asked.  
  
"She's fine I guess. I haven't had much time to sit down and talk to her lately."  
  
"She still dating the cop?" she asked. One look at Faith and I knew I had some explaining to do.  
  
"Yeah, I think so," I replied. With all the stuff going on with me and anti- crime Lieu and I hadn't had much time to talk about ma. Faith glanced at Nicole, then at me. I decided to give the two of them a few minutes. I excused myself to use the bathroom.  
  
"I just wanted to stop by and say 'thank you'" Faith replied after I'd left the room.  
  
"Thank me?" Nicole asked. "I should be thanking you. You have no idea how relieved I was to see a familiar face the other day."  
  
"I was glad to help out," Faith accepted Nicole's comment. "But I owe you a thank you. Bosco hasn't been himself lately. A lot has been going on and I've tried getting through to him without any luck. Apparently you were more successful with him when the two of you talked."  
  
"It really wasn't that much Faith," Nicole tried to explain. "I think he already knew what I told him. It was probably nothing more than what you'd already said. Maybe he just wasn't ready to act on it yet."  
  
"Well, he did and I can't tell you how relieved I am that everything worked out."  
  
"I meant what I said. I think the two of you work well together. You have a good balance."  
  
"Thanks, he's not just my partner, he's a good friend too and I was beginning to think I'd lost my friend as well as my partner."  
  
"Well it looks like everything's fine now."  
  
"Did I interrupt anything?" I asked joining the two of them.  
  
"Nope, just waiting for you," Faith replied.  
  
"Maurice?" Nicole called out as we were just about to leave.  
  
"Yeah?" I replied turning around.  
  
"You still got my number?"  
  
I recited her number from memory, surprising myself as well as Nicole and Faith.  
  
"Call me sometime."  
  
I didn't answer, instead returned her smile as I nodded.  
  
"Would you consider that normal?" I asked Faith when we were back on patrol.  
  
"What's that?" she questioned.  
  
"Me and Nicole?"  
  
"You and Nicole were a lot of things Bosco but normal? Never."  
  
"A lot has changed Faith," I replied in my defense. "Nicole and I didn't used to have five hours talks."  
  
"You and Nicole were lucky to have five minute talks."  
  
I didn't respond to her last statement. The two of us rode in silence for a while. Not a bad silence, just a comfortable silence.  
  
"So when were you going to tell me about your mom and Lieu?" she asked.  
  
I cringed when she asked the question.  
  
"I have to say I was a little surprised, I mean Rose and Lieu. How did they ever meet one another in the first place?"  
  
"That was my doing," I admitted. If I thought Nicole had found my admission to be hysterical, Faith was ten times worse. We eventually had to pull off the road while she pulled herself together.  
  
"You mean to tell me you introduced your ma to Lieu?"  
  
"We went to the bar for a beer. It was Sully's fault."  
  
"Sully? Why is this his fault?"  
  
"If he hadn't made a scene at Haggerty's, Lieu would have joined us for a beer there. Instead Sully creates a scene, we started to leave and just then Lieu comes by. He was going to skip the beer since we were leaving but I suggested we go somewhere else."  
  
"So you took him to ypur ma's bar?"  
  
"It was Sully's fault." I repeated. Faith's laughter was contagious. For some reason, I was laughing right along with her. Maybe it was the discussion about ma dating Lieu. Maybe it was the fact that they never would have met if it wasn't for me. Maybe it was because I was thinking about calling Nicole again. Maybe it was the Squad 57 fire helmet sitting on my TV at home. Maybe I was just happy to be back working with Faith. You know, the whole Camelot returns thing. Or maybe it was because it just felt normal. 


	7. chapter 7

It was a long shift, that first one back full-time with Faith. Normally saying a shift was long isn't a good thing and maybe that day wasn't all that good either. But, as I think back on that day, nothing stands out in my mind other than I was working with Faith again.  
  
As the day progressed, I began to realize things. I'd missed working with Faith.not just the cop, but Faith, my best friend. I missed having someone to talk to.someone who actually listened. Both of us knew that there were days when she wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying and I have to admit that I did the same thing. But, for the most part, Faith and I communicated in ways that were different.ways other than with just words. Me and Faith, we could speak volumes with just a look. We knew what the other was thinking with just a look.we could finish each other's sentences.  
  
Cruz, now that was something completely different. We didn't communicate. She gave orders and I followed them. Looking back, I can't remember when it was exactly that I'd stopped thinking for myself. But, I know exactly when it was that I started thinking for myself.it was the night Nicole was attacked. The following day, Cruz's puppet was laid to rest and the loudmouth pissed-off Officer Boscorelli came back to life. Of course, it took a few weeks to fully recover. I was caught in a cloverleaf for a while as the brass worked out a plan. I grew tired of waiting for their plan. Faith and I moved onto Plan B and the rest of Camelot came along for the ride. What a ride it had been. While my mind was working overtime, my body was exhausted.  
  
After work that first day back, I gave Faith a ride home. She invited me up for coffee or 'something' as she put it. I guess it was a tossup between coffee and a beer. I was a little surprised but it wasn't completely out of the norm. I took a seat on the sofa while Faith went to start the coffee.  
  
We talked for a while that night about stuff that seemed important and stuff that was actually pretty dumb but it felt good just talking. The dumb stuff was the best though cause lately everything me and Faith talked about involved our plan and it had gotten a bit intense. Another thing I hadn't realized was how tense I had become. Okay so maybe I was always a little tense, high-strung, but with Cruz, it had taken on a whole new meaning. Faith and me, that was different, and the longer we talked that night, the more I realized it. The more relaxed I became.  
  
In fact, he was a little too relaxed. It's me, Faith taking over for a second here. I had gone to put my coffee cup in the kitchen only to come back and find my partner sound asleep on my couch. Yeah I'd say he was relaxed. Now you got to remember this is Bosco we're talking about. I probably know the guy better than anyone and I've seen his good days and his bad days. I've seen him blow it big time like that time with he slept with the Captain's daughter. Of course lying to me about that evidence wasn't so hot either but I like to think we've put that behind us. Anyway, Bosco is a complex guy. But, he can be a sweetheart too, especially when it involves a kid. Most recently, I'd seen him with Nicole the day she was attacked. He was just so sweet, so gentle with her. Nothing like I'd ever imagined him being with Nicole. Course, he'd provided me with more details than I needed so my perception of the two of them was a little off.  
  
Seeing him asleep on my couch was all together different. He was so un- Bosco. I'd never seen him look so peaceful, so relaxed. I mean 'Bosco relaxed' has to be one of the all-time greatest oxymorons. So, walking back into my living room and finding him asleep.well, I admit I stood there for a minute or two just watching him. Maybe I half expected that if I'd walked over next to him, he would have jumped off my couch scaring the hell out of me. But no, he was out.  
  
So, just as I'd said once before, I treated him as one of my kids. I went to the closet; pulled out an extra blanket I kept there and carefully covered him up. I bent over and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, not realizing what I'd done until I was walking back to my own bedroom. Maybe I took the 'treating him like one of my kids' a little too far.  
  
The next morning, I woke up early. It wasn't quite six o'clock when I strolled from my room to the bathroom. I'd forgotten all about Bosco on my couch until I walked into the kitchen to start the coffee. I remembered him the moment I saw the coffee pot in the sink. As my eyes ventured from that coffee pot to the couch, Bosco stirred.  
  
"Morning sleepyhead," I said with a laugh. Seeing him just waking up.I have to admit he was just too darn cute. His hair was going this way and that way, stubble on his chin. I watched as he lay there on my couch, yawning and stretching all at once. I started a fresh pot of coffee as he used the palms of his hands to rub the sand out of his eyes.  
  
"I guess my coffee isn't strong enough?" I replied as he glanced at me with a look that pretty much said 'I have no clue what you're talking about'.  
  
"You fell asleep on my couch," I explained, gesturing to the blanket that still covered part of him. "I guess my coffee wasn't strong enough otherwise you wouldn't have fallen asleep.'  
  
"Naaa, your coffee was fine," he commented. "I just haven't been sleeping too well lately and it's just catching up to me."  
  
"Yeah I guess," I agreed. He had a point. I know Bosco and he had been under a lot of stress just working with Cruz. After he figured it all out, when the brass wanted him to take down Cruz, he was under even more stress. Finally he was able to get some sleep.  
  
"So how'd you sleep?"  
  
"Better than I have in a long time.last I remember we were sitting here talking. Next think I knew, you were making coffee."  
  
"You've had a lot on your mind," I replied as he slowly got up from the couch, walking over and looking out the window. I'd let Faith take over for a while since I'd been a little out of it. But after a good night's sleep, I was feeling better. I felt like I was taking control over my life. I guess that includes taking back this story.  
  
"Yeah, I have," I replied before turning around to face her. "Faith, I.you've.thanks.for everything. For being there that day...for convincing me to tell everyone.Sully, Ty, Jimmy, everyone at the fire house."  
  
"Camelot?"  
  
"Yeah Camelot," I agreed with a smile. I don't know what it was but the way this all worked out with everyone involved.it just felt good.  
  
"Anyway, I wanted to say thanks."  
  
"You're welcome Bos."  
  
"And I'm sorry.sorry for bailing on you.sorry for not listening to you when you tried to knock some sense into my hard head."  
  
"Hey everything worked out, that's what important," Faith replied, taking little credit for everything just as I'd expected. "I was a little surprised that Nicole, of all people, got through to you. I'm just glad someone did."  
  
"Yeah, I'm a little surprised at that too," I acknowledged, thinking for a minute.  
  
"Did you ever call her?"  
  
"Yeah, I called her during our dinner break last night."  
  
"So you gonna see her?"  
  
"I told her I'd call her again later when we were off duty," I explained the brief conversation Nicole and I'd had earlier. "She knows I'm off in a few days. Not sure what we might do but I'll talk to her again before then."  
  
"Good for you," she replied with a look that made me smile.  
  
"What?" I replied shaking my head. I wasn't able to read what she was thinking.  
  
"Just surprised is all," Faith replied still smiling. "You've changed Bosco."  
  
"Changed? How so?" I asked.  
  
"Not in a bad way or anything," she explained. "You've grown up a lot in the last few months."  
  
"It was bound to happen sometime."  
  
"Yeah well just don't go changing too much on me. I kinda liked my old partner."  
  
"The hot-headed smart ass one?"  
  
"Yeah that's the guy."  
  
"You kinda like him huh?"  
  
"Yeah, at first, I thought he was an ass but over the years, he's kinda grown on me."  
  
"No problem," I replied trying to stifle a laugh. "Your old partner is still around. I'll let him know you're looking for him."  
  
"You do that," Faith replied with a laugh.  
  
The conversation I had with Faith that morning was the most comfortable I've felt in a long time. So much so that before I left, I did something that surprised me. I may not be the touchy feely kind of guy. But that morning, before I left Faith's apartment, I reached out to her. She placed her hand in my outstretched hand before I pulled her into a warm embrace. I wrapped my arms around her as she wrapped hers around me. The embrace lasted for a minute or so before releasing her.  
  
"I'll see you later," I replied stepping towards the door.  
  
"See ya Bos," I replied closing the door behind him. Yeah I took over the story for a minute.  
  
What can I say; just when I think I've figured Bosco out he goes and does something like that hug. Then I'm left remembering what I said about him being a complex person.  
  
I'm not sure what he was thinking that morning but we talked like we haven't talked in months. The odd thing was that not once did he ask about Fred and the kids. If he'd noticed that I was alone in the apartment, he didn't mention it. 


	8. chapter 8

I left Faith's that morning feeling pretty damn good. I figured it was about time I felt something besides regret, agitation, and the feeling that I my life was spinning out of control.  
  
I showed up at my ma's door not realizing it wasn't yet seven o'clock. I'd knocked on the door and was surprised when she answered it in less than a minute. Ma being up this early was about as likely as me standing there at her door at that early hour. I could tell she was surprised to see me but for some reason I didn't think the hour was it.  
  
"Maurice?" she replied, standing there with a bowl in her hand.  
  
"Hey ma," I replied as I entering her apartment, closing the door behind me. "You expecting someone else?"  
  
"I was just making some breakfast, that's all," she replied as she continued stirring whatever she had in that bowl.  
  
"Ah huh, must be some breakfast," I replied taking a seat at the table. "Two plates.you wake up hungry this morning?"  
  
"No, I'm not 'that' hungry," she said taking the plate from me and putting it back on the table.  
  
"You're making breakfast.you got two plates on the table.you say you're not very hungry.you sure as hell weren't expecting me for breakfast."  
  
"I'm having breakfast with Lieu," ma stammered out just as the doorbell rang.  
  
"That must be him," I replied, answering her door. "Morning Lieu."  
  
"Boscorelli."  
  
"Yeah I know, you weren't expecting to see me either," I replied watching the look on his face. "So, you having breakfast with ma this morning?"  
  
"Yeah, she invited me over for breakfast since I'm working the early shift," Lieu explained.  
  
"That explains that, right ma?"  
  
"Yes I guess it does," she replied with a happy look on her face. That look should have told me something. But, I'd missed it.  
  
"So why don't you tell me what my son is doing at my door at seven in the morning?" ma replied although it was really a question.  
  
"He's not on his way to work," Lieu offered.  
  
"I was just stopping by on my way home," I explained.  
  
"On your way home from where?" Ma asked.  
  
"What am I, five years old?" I stated. I had nothing to hide but I enjoyed the game with ma.  
  
"No, you're not five years old but I am still your mother. Can't I ask about my son?"  
  
"Sure you can ask. Doesn't mean I'm going to answer," I teased before finally giving in. " I was at Faith's place."  
  
"Faith Yokas? You were with Faith? All night? Does her husband know about this?" ma questioned.  
  
"Yes.yes.yes.and I don't know," I answered, getting a glare from ma. "I gave her a ride home after work.we talked for a while.I fell asleep on her couch.I woke up there around six.any more questions?"  
  
"Yeah, does her husband know about this?" ma asked her question again.  
  
"Hell, I don't know. Maybe Fred knew; maybe he didn't," I replied explaining myself.  
  
"Well wasn't he there?" ma continued her line of questioning.  
  
"Hey Lieu, you need any detectives down at the precinct?" I questioned, gesturing my head in ma's direction. Lieu just laughed.  
  
"I don't know what Fred knows ma. Like I said, I fell asleep on the couch. I wasn't in Faith's bedroom."  
  
"A ha," was all ma managed to reply.  
  
"Faith and me.we haven't been talking much lately. I don't mean just cause we weren't working together. I mean as friends. I didn't realize til we were working yesterday that I missed working with her; missed talking like we did."  
  
"So the two of you got things worked out?" Lieu asked. I answered his question with a look. He continued.  
  
"I couldn't help notice that things were a little off between the two of you."  
  
"Yeah, everything's fine. Like I said, we talked at her place last night.cleared the air and all."  
  
"Glad to hear it," Lieu replied. "I'd hate to have to assign you a new partner. I don't know how she does it but Faith seems to be able to tolerate you."  
  
"She thought I was an ass once too Lieu," I explained, the words almost coming straight from Faith. "I guess I just grew on her."  
  
"I love Faith, she's such a nice gal," ma explained her point of view. "Too bad she's married. You need someone like her Maurice."  
  
"You always did like Faith ma," I replied. Ma and Faith were a lot alike. Must be part of the reason why Faith had been such a big part of my life for as long as she had.  
  
"I liked Nicole too," ma said, getting my attention. "Did I tell you she called me?"  
  
"No, but she said she was going to call you," I answered.  
  
"Nicole?" Lieu asked.  
  
"One of Maurice's old girlfriends," Ma replied.  
  
"You still talk to ex-girlfriends?" Lieu asked. The look on his face, basically described as total shock, said it all.  
  
"Not usually," I answered. "That guy we brought in a while back.the one committing the attacks on women? His last attack was on Nicole."  
  
"I remember that," Lieu acknowledged. "That was Nicole?"  
  
"Yeah, that's Nicole?"  
  
"Beautiful girl," Lieu replied, his description accurate. "I got the impression she had money?"  
  
"Her family has money," I replied.  
  
"Where'd you ever meet a girl like that?"  
  
"That was three or four years ago, I don't remember where we met," I commented, recalling a conversation I'd had one night with Nicole. "Actually the reason we started going out was to piss off her daddy."  
  
"I take it daddy didn't like her choice in dates?"  
  
"Her daddy didn't care for her dating a street cop, that I can tell you."  
  
"You ever actually meet him.either of her parents for that matter?"  
  
"Yeah I met them once. Nicole invited me to the opera with her parents."  
  
"You went to the opera?" Too much information.the look on Lieu's face was that of total shock.  
  
"Yeah, me at the opera, you believe that?" I described the night for him. "Tuxedo, limo, the whole nine yards."  
  
"I bet you looked handsome," ma replied taking my face in her hands and acting just like a mom.  
  
"I felt like a waiter. Faith said I looked nice though."  
  
"Faith got to see you all dressed up and I didn't?"  
  
"No big deal. I changed in a restaurant bathroom. No way was I changing at the station. Anyway, Faith fixed my tie for me."  
  
"So Faith was dressing you too?" ma inquired.  
  
"Just fixed my tie ma," I explained. "No big deal."  
  
"I seem to remember Nicole making a comment about you getting dressed," ma said with a devious smile. She was going to embarrass me that morning if it was the last thing she did.  
  
"Remember that?" she continued looking at me and then to Lieu. "One morning I called Nicole at her apartment and she told me how she was watching my son get dressed."  
  
Lieu didn't say a word but the look on his face spoke volumes. We were both men after all. Sometimes guys don't have to talk to communicate. I figured I could let ma win meaning I get embarrassed. Or I could explain what'd happened that particular morning meaning I take control of the conversation. I chose the latter.  
  
"Nicole liked watching me dress," I continued. "I thought she liked watching me undress but I guess she liked it both ways."  
  
Having said that, I'd embarrassed my mother so I figured it was time to go. Picking up my jacket, I headed for the door.  
  
"I should get going," I replied. "You two enjoy your breakfast."  
  
Since it was only seven thirty and it'd been a morning of surprises, I figured I might as well surprise one more person. Twenty minutes later I knocked on Nicole's door.  
  
"Hey, good morning," she greeted me with a hug. "I didn't expect to see you this morning."  
  
"I've had that effect on people today," I explained drawing a confused look from Nicole.  
  
"I stopped by ma's this morning. She was surprised to see me. Turns out she was having breakfast with a certain Lieutenant."  
  
"So did he spend the night too?" Nicole asked.  
  
"No, he showed up at her door while I was there," I explained. "I gave her a hard time about it."  
  
"Maurice.you and your mother.."  
  
"Don't feel bad for her. She can dish it out better than she takes it."  
  
"Meaning what exactly?"  
  
"I gave Faith a ride home last night. We talked for a while before I fell asleep on her couch. Woke up there this morning. I think ma got the wrong idea."  
  
"You and Faith huh?"  
  
"Ma seems to think so. She doesn't really think that me and Faith have something going on but she sure as hell enjoyed ribbing me about it."  
  
"You and Faith are such a cute couple," Nicole teased, pinching my cheek as she did. Just to clarify, that'd be the one on my face. The smile on her face and her laugh as she said it gave her away. "Your mom's sweet. Did she tell you we talked?"  
  
"She mentioned it although she didn't say what you talked about." If that sounded like a question, there'd be a reason for that.  
  
"We talked about a lot of things, mostly you.of course your mom always did like to talk about her son."  
  
"Yeah I know."  
  
"I told her all about the attack at my store and how you and Faith were there. And I told her about you coming by the hospital to take me home. And I might have mentioned something about you leaving here very early the following morning."  
  
"Ah huh. I'm sure she loved hearing that," I said, shaking my head as I spoke.  
  
"You mom's actually very protective of you."  
  
"Oh yeah.unless it involves Faith and me and sleep or you and me and dressing. Then that sweet adoring women turns into a vulture."  
  
"So how long has she been seeing the cop now?"  
  
"About a month I guess," I replied, trying to think how long it'd been since I'd introduced them.  
  
"I got the impression from talking to her that she really likes this guy," Nicole explained, not taking her eyes off me as she spoke. "How do you feel about the two of them?"  
  
"What can I say?" I replied, shrugging my shoulders. "I mean she seems happy with him. He's a decent enough guy. Hell, he's better than decent. I mean I respect the guy. When did I ever like anyone she's seeing much less respect the guy?"  
  
"Well, I'm happy for her. I mean the way she talks about this guy.he seems nice.very nice. If she's happy, then I'm happy for her."  
  
"I guess I am too," I replied before pausing.  
  
"Hey, she'll always be your mom. The two of you have a special bond and not even the nicest guy in the world can change that."  
  
"I know.it's just."  
  
"It's just that you've had her to yourself for so long that it's not easy sharing her with another man.even one who treats her the way she deserves to be treated."  
  
"Yeah," I nodded. "Look, I can see that I got you out of bed and I need some sleep myself."  
  
"You could sleep here you know?"  
  
"When did I ever sleep here?"  
  
"Never.come on.be adventurous.nothing wrong with trying new things. Besides, my bed's already warm."  
  
"Just sleep?" I asked. "Nothing else?"  
  
"Nope, nothing else. Of course I wouldn't complain if I happen to fall asleep snuggled up next to a warm body."  
  
I'd been at Nicole's apartment for almost a half hour. It was only then that I took off my coat.  
  
to be continued.. 


	9. chapter 9

You ever wonder why it is that sometimes you can remember the exact time and place that something happened. Other times you know it was this year or that year but you're really not all that sure?  
  
For instance, I remember the day I married Fred. I remember the exact day, time, and location that both my kids were born. I remember meeting Bosco for the first time. I remember my first day on the force.the first time I fired my weapon.the first person I shot.the first life I took.  
  
Then there's other stuff that I remember.other stuff that's important. Like I remember September 11th and how it changed my life. Fred was a good husband again and he stopped asking me to quit my job. I remember the day he had a heart attack in an elevator and I remember him reading the Bible. I'm not sure how long it took me to grow tired of hearing about it. Don't get me wrong, I believe in God and all that, I just have my own beliefs and Fred's constant quoting of the good book got old fast.  
  
I remember the first day Bosco and I worked together. I remember the exact dates of the two times he was shot. I remember the exact date he crashed through a second story window. I remember the exact date that I finally told him I had cancer and I remember his exact words to me.  
  
I remember him and Nicole and their bedroom experiments. I remember her outside the station the day they broke up. I remember the day she was attacked. I guess in a way I'll never forget that day cause if it weren't for that attack I think I'd be remembering another day: the day I lost my partner.my best friend.  
  
I remember stupid stuff too like birthdays of ex-boyfriends although I forget my own brother's most of the time. I remember my first car was blue. My bedroom when I was twelve was green. I remember hiding a book from my mother for 49 days after it was overdue at the library. My locker number in 9th grade was number 406.  
  
There are other dates I don't remember but for some reason I don't know why. Some of them are important. I should remember them right? For instance, there was the night he cried on my shoulder.the night Fred walked in to find me comforting my partner. The night is vivid in my memory; I just don't remember the exact date.  
  
I remember what happened six months ago today. It was six weeks ago tonight that I took a long look at my partner. The night he fell asleep on my couch.the night I covered him with a blanket.the night I'd kissed his forehead.the night I slept alone in my bed.the night my divorce was final.  
  
Six weeks now.if you asked Bosco about dates, he'd remember a lot of them. But if you asked him what day his partner's divorce was final, he'd give you a blank stare and then he'd turn to look at me.that questioning look in his eyes.  
  
There's a lot of reason why I haven't told him. A lot had been going on. Bosco was moving on with his life. I was moving on with mine. I think for the first time in a long time we were in sync. We'd both been through stressful times. I think the whole thing with Cruz served as something else to focus on other than my pending divorce. For once, I was almost glad that Bosco's life was in turmoil. I needed a new focus. I was even happier when things worked out between us and we went back on patrol together. I needed him.I needed him more than he'd ever needed me and even without knowing, he'd been there for me.  
  
For six weeks now, I'd gone home from work to an empty apartment. My kids were staying with their dad while I worked. I had them on weekends.my days off work.stuff like that. The whole divorce had gone pretty smooth. We'd split everything fifty-fifty. I kept the apartment while Fred moved in with his parents.for the time being anyway. He kept the truck since he'd won it. I didn't care anyway. It was more trouble then it was worth. Parking was a hassle and since it was wintertime it was even more of a hassle. I could live without it.  
  
Part of the reason the divorce went as smoothly as it did was because it included nothing to do with custody. Fred and I had decided that the kids were old enough to choose where they wanted to live. I was surprised when, last week, Emily decided she wanted to live with me. Charlie wanted to live with his dad. I had some final arrangements to make before Emily came home but I was looking forward to having my daughter back.being a mom again.  
  
As I sat in the living room, I decided to turn on the stereo. Without Fred or the kids, it was quiet.too quiet. I debated about calling Bosco and talking with him but I figured he was probably with Nicole. The two of them spent a lot of time together recently. She met his after work a couple times a week. I assumed he was spending the nights at her place. The two of them had been together for six weeks now.six weeks for Bosco was a lifetime.  
  
I switched on the CD player, inserted a couple discs and pressed random play. The first song grabbed my attention. It was a Rod Stewart CD.the song's lyrics grabbed hold of my heart. I was mesmerized by the words:  
  
When the one you love's in love with someone else Don't you know its torture I mean it's a living hell No matter how I try to convince myself this time I won't lose control One look in your blue eyes and suddenly my heart can't tell you no  
  
I stood there in my living room, staring at my couch, the spot where just weeks ago Bosco had fallen asleep and I'd kissed him goodnight. As much as I knew he would do anything for me, I knew I couldn't call him. I'd been working with him and for once in his life, he seemed happy.and that happiness was a result of him and Nicole.  
  
Tears formed in my eyes as I stood there, memories flooding my mind. I thought of all the times he'd been in the apartment.the glances he gave me every once in a while when we were on duty.the times when he'd touched me. Most recently he'd been there when Emily overdosed. Searching for her while a blizzard raged around us.there at the hospital waiting for word on her condition. I remembered the time when he was there, his soft touch on my shoulder as he told me to call him on his cell phone. He had been as worried about me as much as he was about Emily. I wondered now as I had many times over the years if his concern was just as a friend or if by chance he had cared more than as just a friend.  
  
Getting up from the couch, I made my way to the hall closet. On the top shelf I pulled out a photo album. That same closet held the blanket I'd covered him with that night. I sat back down on the couch, wrapped in the blanket, flipping the pages of the album I'd kept hidden from Fred. My life with Bosco, nine years in all, confined in the pages of one album.  
  
As I flipped through the pages of that album I realized several things. Bosco has the most beautiful blues eyes.he has a sweet yet devilish grin and a body that give the word sexy new meaning. Today was a day I would add to my memory of days remembered. Today I realized that my feelings for Bosco went deeper than just friendship. For nine years he'd been a constant in my life.my partner.my best friend. But when it came to women, the word constant wasn't in his vocabulary. Bosco was a rebel when it came to women. For nine years he'd gone from one woman to the next. For nine years he'd been unattached. Ironically that seemed to end the day my divorce was final..six weeks ago today.  
  
to be continued... 


	10. chapter 10

If you had asked me a year ago what I thought about street patrol I would have said it was fine but I longed for real police work. Today, my feelings on that have changed. I'm not saying whether that will change but for now, I'm happy working with Faith again.happy being partners.happy being friends.  
  
Part of being friends includes knowing another person as well as or sometimes better than you know yourself. Faith is good at that. She knows me like the back of her hand. She knows when things are good and she knows when it's not so good.and she know when I've screwed up. She knows when I need to talk and she lets me know without pressuring me to do so.  
  
Lately, I've felt that there's something on her mind.something she wants to talk to me about. But, so far she's kept it to herself. Today, however, was another day and maybe today she'll talk.  
  
She was wrong about me...okay maybe not wrong just a little off. It took longer than a week for me to start ducking calls. I remember the day. It was our eighth day back as partners. I hadn't done it for myself. I just thought that she was close to opening up and I wanted her to have every opportunity without some stupid ass interrupting. But, instead of talking to me about whatever was on her mind she responded to a call and we were on our way to some dumb domestic call.  
  
The bond that Faith and I share is still there. It's probably still very strong. It could be stronger if she'd only talk to me about whatever is on her mind. It reached a point that last night, I mentioned it to Nicole. The two of them have talked on occasion. I know there was a time that Faith didn't care for Nicole but since she was able to get through to me about the Cruz situation, they seem more open to one another. Nowhere near to what I'd call best friends or even close friends but more cordial.  
  
Lately, I've thought a lot about Faith and me and all the stuff we've been through; partly because I've struggled with trying to get her to talk to me. She talks, don't get me wrong. I just wish she'd talk to me about what's bothering her.  
  
So, like I said, last night Nicole met me after work. We went out for a beer. While we were sitting there, Nicole asked me what was wrong. I avoided the question but then Nicole and Faith have one thing in common; they're both women. Great observation don't you think. So, I told her what little I knew. Maybe it's a girl thing I'd said. Maybe she'd talk to Nicole.  
  
We'd decided that I would ask Faith is she wanted to go for a drink. Once there, Nicole would join us. I'd leave the two of them alone to go call my ma and Nicole would hopefully get Faith to open up. She'd suggested that maybe I should wait til Faith had a beer or two. She might open up more after a beer.  
  
During our shift, it started snowing. At first it was just light snow but over the next hour, it got heavier. Faith and I returned to the station so she could change from her wet shoes to her boots. I waited in the RMP. As I sat there waiting, my mind wandered back to our most recent call. It'd been a domestic call.a rather stupid fight between some guy and his wife. Something about that call stuck in my mind. While Faith was inside, it hit me. When she returned, my suspicions were confirmed. Something had been different about my partner. Something was missing. That something was a wedding ring. I swallowed hard, trying to conceal my thoughts while I figured out what to do.what to say.  
  
The rest of the night we fielded call after call...mostly traffic accidents involving people who had no valid reason to be on the streets. On nights like this I wondered why people who be out in weather like this. I was baffled why parents would drag small children out into this weather. What could possibly be that important?  
  
Our shift ended, just not soon enough for me. Still, it was too soon. The number of calls had distracted me from my earlier discovery and I still had no idea what to say to Faith.  
  
As we got out of the car, something struck me. Unlike a thought this was wet and cold and was followed by another that whizzed past my head. I looked over my shoulder to see Jimmy and D K laughing their asses off. Six weeks.that's all it took. Six short weeks and life was back to normal. As normal as life got for Camelot.  
  
I ducked behind the RMP, scraping snow from the hood of the car. Packing it into a snowball, I turned my attention back on the bucket boys. Ty soon joined me as Sully headed inside. We circled around parked cars, squatting down between two as we zeroed in on our targets. Ty, two cars over, came up firing, three snowballs smacking into Doherty's head. Our plan would have worked if it had not been for two small problems. One was Taylor, the other Zambrano. I'd failed to see the bus return. In the time Ty and I roamed between cars, the two paramedics had been right behind us. While Ty was bombarding Doherty with snowballs, Alex and Kim tackled me. Standing on snow covered ground without my boots, they caught me off guard. My feet went out from under me as the two of them tumbled on top of me.  
  
Ty and I weren't the only ones circling around. D K had done so as well. On the steps of the precinct, he grabbed an unsuspecting female. As I brushed a face full of snow from my eyes, I zeroed in on a sudden scream. It wasn't a frightening scream but rather one from my partner being taken hostage by a firemen.  
  
As I packed a snowball, Doherty did the same. I came up ready to fire to hear only to hear his threat.  
  
"Put it down Bosco or she gets it," he replied, a snowball aimed right for Faith who was laughing so hysterically I'd forgotten all about Kim and Alex who once again knocked me to the ground.  
  
Our rescuer would be none other than a tall blond dressed in a fur coat and obviously little else. Ty began bombarding Alex and Kim from behind, sending the two of them back to the firehouse. With the two of them gone, I made a daring rescue attempt for my partner. Okay so she took care of the two of them herself with a little help from Nicole. Either way, Doherty and D K were getting an eyeful. As Nicole worked her magic, I grabbed Faith from their clutches. The two of us made our escape, ducking inside the station.  
  
It was fifteen minutes later when I reappeared, somewhat warmer and a whole lot dryer. Faith hadn't been buried in snow as I had so she hadn't taken quite as long to change. I found her on the steps outside with Nicole. I stood in the doorway for a minute or so just listening to the two of them laugh. For a moment, I'd forgotten all about the missing ring.  
  
Seeing me in the doorway, the two of them got to their feet. Faith took one look at me and started laughing.  
  
"I don't believe you let two girls take you down," she replied, Nicole laughing with her.  
  
"So this is the thanks I get for rescuing you?" I asked, doing my best to appear hurt.  
  
"Rescuing you? From where I was standing it looked like you needed rescuing," Faith replied.  
  
"Obviously it was a traumatic experience tonight and your thoughts are a little clouded," I explained surprisingly while keeping a straight face.  
  
Nicole glanced at her watch, suddenly deciding she had somewhere to be.  
  
"Call me later," I replied as she gave me a quick hug before taking off.  
  
"Thanks for your help tonight," Faith called after her. Nicole turned, waving as she smiled and then laughed.  
  
"So you want a ride home," I questioned Faith.  
  
"You offering?" she asked.  
  
"I can't very well leave you out here on your own. You never know when you might be taken hostage again."  
  
Faith couldn't hold back a laugh when I mentioned the word 'hostage'.  
  
"Oh no Bos. We couldn't have that now could we? I'll take that ride but I'm only agreeing because I'd hate for you to get attacked again by two maniac out of control women."  
  
"No big deal," I replied with a shrug. "Happens all the time. I'm used to it."  
  
Faith and I made our way to my car. I was happy just hearing her laugh although I knew that was probably just a cover. Inside she was probably a range of emotions. I had no plans that night, just planned on being with Faith. With any luck, she'd talk to me.tell me what was going on in her life.what happened between her and Fred.and why she was no longer wearing a wedding ring. I didn't want to pressure her but something told me that I wouldn't have to. Nine years, five days a week, eight hours a day.you think I'd know her by now wouldn't you? I was about to find out.  
  
to be continued.. 


	11. chapter 11

"What?" I asked for the umteenth time. All the way home, Faith kept chuckling. Not out and out laughing, she was doing it under her breath. It was soft enough that I thought she was trying to hide it from me but loud enough that I knew she wasn't trying to hide it.  
  
"I was just thinking about you and Kim and Alex," she said before she started laughing again. "You should have seen yourself. It was like some comedy skit on one of those comedy shows on TV."  
  
"I'm glad you enjoyed that," I said sarcastically but not really meaning it that way.  
  
"You know it almost looked like you weren't really fighting them off. Tell me the truth, you liked having two women jump you didn't you Bos?"  
  
"I don't believe you just asked me that," I mumbled under my breath.  
  
"Yeah and I noticed you didn't deny it," she continued, glancing at me several times. "Is that how it was that time with you and Kim?"  
  
"Me and Kim?"  
  
"Yeah that time the two of you came close to hooking up in your car?"  
  
"Do we have to talk about this?"  
  
"I guess not," she said with a shrug. "We could always talk about how old you were the first time you hooked up with a girl."  
  
"Why do you want to know that?" I asked glancing over at her as we sat stopped at a red light. "I mean is it a 'I want to know' or a 'I need to know' type of thing?"  
  
"I'm just curious?"  
  
"Make you a deal," I offered. "I'll answer your question is you answer one of mine."  
  
"What could you possibly have to ask me?" she replied, trying to read my thoughts.  
  
"Deal?" I asked, not sharing any more details.  
  
"Fine.deal." she conceded, looking over at me as we pulled up in front of her apartment building.  
  
"What?" I asked  
  
"You go first."  
  
"What is this, first grade?" I asked getting a glare from Faith. "Can we go inside or do I have to sit here and discuss my sex life in the car?"  
  
"Never bothered you before."  
  
Okay so she had me there. I had no idea how many times I'd discussed my sex life in the RMP sitting right beside Faith, just as we were now. She ignored my question, instead grabbing her bag and heading for the front entrance. I followed Faith into her apartment. She flipped on a couple lights before taking a seat on the couch.  
  
"Nineteen." I replied not seeing the point as to why I should wait for her to ask again.  
  
'Nineteen? Nineteen? Nine-teen?"  
  
What the hell was I thinking? I was already regretting this. I should have just lied to her and told her my first time was when I was fourteen or something.  
  
"When I was nineteen," she replied with a laugh, "I was married and had Emily."  
  
"Yeah so."  
  
"I just can't believe you didn't have sex 'til you were nineteen."  
  
"Like I said. I had a lot of time to make up for."  
  
"Uh huh.I'm sure you and Nicole are working hard on remedying that."  
  
"So how bout answering my question now?" I asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Sure thing Bos," Faith replied. "Only my life isn't as adventurous as yours."  
  
I took a seat on the coffee table across from Faith, I knew what I wanted to ask, I just wasn't sure how to say it. I reached out to her, taking her hands in mine.  
  
"You're not going to ask me to marry you are you Bos?" she asked. I smiled, not really knowing how to answer her question. Instead I tried to focus on what I wanted to ask.  
  
"Is that a possibility? Getting married I mean?" Faith looked at me with a curious look. I wasn't sure she was following what I was saying. I released her right hand, turning her left one in mine. I gently touched her hand, paying special attention to the place where she used to wear a wedding ring. Her eyes met mine, reading my thoughts.  
  
"When'd you figure it out?" she asked.  
  
"I'd suspected something was up for a while," I explained. "I wasn't sure 'til today. After that domestic call, it suddenly hit me. You weren't wearing a ring."  
  
"I know I should have told you. There was just so much going on.the whole Cruz situation and all."  
  
"Hey, don't apologize," I replied, letting her off the hook.  
  
"Bos, I wanted to tell you, really I did. I just.I.it just never seemed like the right time."  
  
"I don't think there is a right time Faith," I replied. I knew this had to be hard for her. I debated how to proceed. On one hand, I didn't want her clamming up on me but I didn't want to upset her either.  
  
"That night you fell asleep here.on my couch," she replied gesturing to where she was sitting. "I went to court that day.you falling asleep here was no big deal.I mean it was no big deal anyway.it's just that on that particular day, I became a single girl."  
  
"You're divorced?" I asked, not believing what Faith was telling me. I mean I believed her, it was just a little hard to take you know. "Wow.this is just.I mean.Faith? You and Fred? You're divorced?"  
  
"Yeah, almost seven weeks," Faith replied. By the tone in her voice, this was still a little hard for her to believe too. "Damn it Bos, I feel like a failure."  
  
"A failure? What're you talking about?"  
  
"Me.my marriage.this isn't how it was supposed to be. I told myself when I married Fred that it would be forever.that my kids wouldn't grow up in a broken home.that's exactly what I did."  
  
"Faith, you're not a failure.not by a long shot," I replied, trying to cheer her up. "Besides if that makes you a failure, then what's that make me?"  
  
"Smart.you're smart for not getting married."  
  
"No Faith, you're not a failure. You stuck it out for fifteen years.fifteen years Faith." I'd gotten up from the coffee table. By this point in our discussion I was pacing her apartment. Trying to think of what to say.trying not to say something stupid.trying not to make a bad situation worse.  
  
"What about your kids Faith? Huh? What about Em and Charlie?" I asked. I was sure she didn't see her kids as a failure.  
  
"I love my kids Bos," she replied, tears streaming down her face. "Emily and Charlie are the best thing I ever did."  
  
"Exactly, you may not be a wife anymore but you're a mom forever. Nothing can change that. Look at ma and me."  
  
"Lately I haven't felt much like a mom," she replied, taking a Kleenex from the box I'd set beside her. "I haven't been a very good mom for a long time. I mean, look at Em. She used drugs Bos. I should've seen that coming. I'm her mother. I should have seen it."  
  
"It happens Faith.to good kids from good families," I replied, drawing from our work experiences. "We see it all the time Faith.good decent homes.parents who love their kids. It happens."  
  
"Not to my kids Bosco. I'm a cop. I should have seen it.I see it all the time. I should have seen it with Emily."  
  
"She made a mistake Faith.a mistake."  
  
"That mistake almost cost my daughter her life."  
  
"I know that Faith," I replied, once again taking a seat across from her. The last thing Faith needed was a hot-headed cop upsetting her. Sitting down, I swallowed before continuing in a calmer voice.  
  
"Kids make mistakes.but they learn from them. Em's a good kid Faith. She made a mistake. It doesn't mean she's gonna be a bad kid. I've made mistakes Faith.I've made more than my share of mistakes but you said it yourself how I've changed these past months. Emily can do the same. She knows what she did was wrong.She knows she hurt more than just herself."  
  
"Bos, I never did thank you for being there.at the hospital I mean. Fred being there was about to make me crazy. I was sick of him.constantly trying to drag me down to the chapel. I believe in God Bos, I really do but I just go about my beliefs differently. I mean does a person have to be in a chapel to pray?"  
  
"No, Faith, you don't," I replied wondering afterwards what I was talking about. Last time I'd mentioned a church was after realizing the Captain didn't recognize his own daughter on videotape. I had to laugh at myself. I think Faith understood.  
  
"I'm probably the last person you should be asking that question. But if you want my opinion, I think you can pray anywhere you want. I don't think you have to fold your hands and I don't think you even need to talk out loud."  
  
"Thanks Bosco," Faith replied, looking at me through the tears in her eyes. With my fingertips, I gently wiped away the tears. It was really hard seeing her like this. I was used to the strong woman I knew she was inside.the level-headed one. Right now she was upset.more at her self than the actual situation.  
  
"So you're not mad at me," she asked. "I mean for not telling you about the divorce?"  
  
"Naaa, I'm not mad," I replied, flashing my partner a smile. "Besides I think you've punished yourself enough for both of us. Maybe its time you gave yourself a break?"  
  
"Yeah.you know.I talked to Emily yesterday," Faith explained, a hint of a smile registering on her face.  
  
"See that's good right?"  
  
"Better than good Bos," she continued. Yeah, now that was a smile. "Fred and I decided to let the kids choose where they wanna live. Talking with Emily, she said she wants to live with me."  
  
"That's great," I replied, taking her hands in mine. I watched her, that smile growing by the second. "It's going to be okay Faith. You and Em.you guys are going to be okay. You'll see."  
  
"I hope you're right Bos," she replied, a hint of that smile disappearing. "I was shocked when she told me. I never expected her to want to live with her mother."  
  
"See, I told you. She's a good kid.she's smart."  
  
"What you said to her that night.when you were talking about Cruz's sister and how she'd died.I was mad at you for doing that to Emily but after I had some time to think, I realized it was a good thing."  
  
"You think so?" I questioned her. "Cause I wasn't so sure it was a good thing. I mean I didn't really think about what I was saying and all."  
  
"It was a good thing Bosco," she confirmed her earlier opinion. "You're getting good at this stuff you know that?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"This sensitive stuff," Faith explained. I could tell I was blushing and she enjoyed seeing that. "I never thought I'd hear myself saying this but someday you're going to make a good dad."  
  
"Me? A good dad? That'll be the day." This whole conversation was making me nervous. I was pacing again.  
  
"Don't tell me you never thought about it cause I know you have. We talked about this once.you and Nicole?"  
  
"Me and Nicole? Come on?"  
  
"What do you mean come on? I've seen the two of you. She meets you after work at least twice a week."  
  
"Yeah but there's just one thing missing from your plan,"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Sex, Faith. You can't have kids without sex. Hell you've got a couple kids."  
  
"Bosco?" Faith replied as I stood in front of her window. "Bosco? You and Nicole.you mean to tell me you guys aren't sleeping together?"  
  
"Nope," I replied turning around to face her while surprising her in the process.  
  
"So if you're not sleeping with her, can I ask what you guys do every night?"  
  
"Depends," I replied nervously shrugging my shoulders. "Sometimes we see a movie...sometimes we go out, get something to eat, have a beer."  
  
"It's been a while since I did it myself but I think they call that dating. And dating for you usually turns into sex."  
  
"Naaa, me and Nicole.we're just friends."  
  
"Friends? Friends?"  
  
"Why is it so hard to believe that I could be friends with a girl? Look at us Faith. We've been friends for how long?"  
  
"It's not hard to believe. It's just that in case you haven't noticed, there's a difference between me and Nicole.a big difference. If I looked like Nicole, you'd probably had sex with me a long time ago. At least you'd have tried."  
  
"You know you sound like Lieu."  
  
"Lieu say something about us having sex?"  
  
"No, but he talked about Nicole.said she was beautiful."  
  
"Lieu said that? I didn't know Lieu even knew Nicole."  
  
"He doesn't really. He remembered her from the attack."  
  
"So is he still dating your mom?"  
  
"Yeah, they're still going out. She really likes him Faith."  
  
"So you think they might get married?"  
  
That question.I almost fell off the table. I knew my ma really liked Lieu but my mind hadn't even considered the idea of them getting married. Lieu and mom.married. That'd make him my stepfather.my boss would be my step- dad.  
  
"I don't know if I'm ready for that one yet."  
  
"Sorry," Faith offered. "Too much, too soon I guess. Stranger things have happened. I mean who would have guessed your ma and Lieu? Only goes to prove there's someone out there for everyone.even you Bos.'  
  
"You think so.I mean you really see me getting married someday?"  
  
"Yeah, I do. You're a great guy Bosco. Any girl would be lucky to have you for a husband especially if you were as sweet to her as you've been to me tonight or like you were with Nicole the night she was attacked."  
  
"I meant what I said Faith. And didn't you say Em wants to live with you? She knows she has a great mom. I know it too."  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"You mean the "I was nineteen" answer wasn't enough for one night?"  
  
"I'm still having a hard time believing that one," she replied, that silly faith smile on her face. "But I have another question I wanna ask."  
  
"If I say yes do I reserve the right to not answer it?"  
  
"Sure, I guess so."  
  
"Okay then, ask away."  
  
"Do you think.I mean.have you ever." Faith was having trouble getting the words out. I wasn't sure what she was trying to ask.  
  
"Is this another question about my sex life?"  
  
"Sort of I guess," she answered with a shy smile. "Bosco, I'm just.well I was wondering if you think that we have something.I mean beyond just friends.like a couple maybe?"  
  
"You and me.you mean like the two of us dating?"  
  
By the look on her face, I could tell Faith wanted to be anywhere but sitting right in front of me. I wasn't helping matters. To be honest, the question had caught me off guard and I was doing about as bad a job at answering her as she had been in asking the question. I had to respect her though. It took a lot of guts to ask such a question.  
  
"I don't know," I replied, hating myself as I said the words. Taking a moment, I collected my thoughts and tried again.  
  
"I just mean that it would be different. You and me Faith.the two of us dating.you're not like the girls I usually date."  
  
"Yeah, I know," she replied. I could tell she was upset by what I was saying. Hell, I was upset at myself for how I was saying this. It really was coming out all wrong.  
  
"Listen to me," I replied looking her straight in the eye, attempting to answer her question one last time. "What I meant was that I've never dated anyone I'd call a friend. The girls I date I meet a girl in a bar or somewhere like that, we go back to my place or her place and wind up in bed. Me and Nicole were a perfect example. We never talked unless it was about sex. It's just recently that we've become friends. But you and me Faith, we got nine years of history between us. The only person who's been in my life longer is my ma. As far as you and me, I don't know. You just got a divorce Faith. I never liked Fred.I thought you could do better.I still do. I'm just not sure you and me would be better. Different maybe but not better."  
  
"Sorry, I guess I surprised you huh? I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that. We're friends.best friends right?"  
  
"Faith, I didn't mean it like that. There was a time.I mean.a few years back when you kicked Fred out.I thought about you and me.you know, the what- ifs."  
  
"Really? I mean you're not just trying to make me feel better?"  
  
"No, really.I thought about it. Then you and Fred got back together and I let it go. You two had kids together. I had no right."  
  
"Bos," she replied. Faith and I had been together for a long time.longer than most partners at the 55th. We'd talked about everything under the sun.but this.this was deeper than anything we'd discussed. Yet, at the same time, it felt very natural.  
  
"I guess I'd want to take things slow," I continued, looking her straight in the eyes as I did. "Faith, you're my best friend. I've never had a friend like you.someone I can talk to.I mean really talk. I wouldn't want to ruin that over one night of sex that we'd only regret in the morning."  
  
"I wouldn't want that either," she replied. "Do you remember the night you fell asleep here on my couch?"  
  
"Barely," I replied with a shrug. "Hey, I was asleep. How was I supposed to remember anything?"  
  
"I noticed that. You know that night, I realized why women would be attracted to you. Hell, I'm attracted to you. I mean like right now.Bos, I could get lost looking into your eyes. Physically I have to admit I think you're sexy."  
  
"You know what I think? I've had a lot of women Faith," I replied, pushing a strand of her hair from her face. "None of them could hold a candle to you."  
  
"You always did like blondes."  
  
"Yeah I did but it wouldn't matter what color your hair was. You're beautiful Faith."  
  
We sat there for a minute, not saying anything, speaking through our eyes. That was a gift Faith and I shared with each other. It was Faith who broke the silence.  
  
"Dance with me Bosco?" Faith asked, pulling me to my feet.  
  
"Dancing isn't really my thing," I tried to tell her but the look on her face told me otherwise.  
  
She walked over to the stereo, punching a few buttons before turning up the volume. As the music started, I recognized the song. As the music played through the speakers, I took Faith in my arms, lacing my fingers with hers, my other hand around her waist.  
  
Have I told you lately that I love you Have I told you there's no one else above you Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness ease my troubles that's what you do  
  
As we danced, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, like I was somehow free.free of all the pain I'd felt as a child.free of all the hatred I felt while on-duty.free of sadness, fear, and loneliness. Holding her like that, it felt strange but at the same time, it felt very natural.  
  
For the morning sun in all it's glory greets the day with hope and comfort too You fill my life with laughter and somehow you make it better ease my troubles that's what you do There's a love that's divine and it's yours and it's mine like the sun And at the end of the day we should give thanks and pray to the one, to the one  
  
I let the lyrics of the song echo through my mind. It felt as if the singer was somehow reading what I was feeling. I pulled Faith closer, my arms around her slender waist while she wrapped her arms around my neck. As the music continued, I lay my head against hers, feeling her soft hair against my cheek.  
  
Have I told you lately that I love you Have I told you there's no one else above you Fill my heart with gladness take away all my sadness ease my troubles that's what you do  
  
"Stay with me tonight Bos," Faith whispered as our bodies moved with the music.  
  
"Faith." I replied, my voice soft.unsure. The last thing I wanted to do was upset her but I really did want to take things slow.  
  
"I don't want you to leave," she continued. "Please, stay with me tonight. I don't wanna sleep alone and I can't think of anything I'd love more than to wake up next to you."  
  
I never had a chance to answer Faith. The song continued as I followed Faith back to the couch. I took a seat on one end while Faith lay down the full length of the couch, laying her head on my chest. Wrapping my arms around her once more, I held her close. With one hand softly resting on her stomach, I ran the fingers of my other hand through her hair, brushing it off her face, feeling the silkiness as it slipped through my fingers.  
  
We lay there for a long time, most of it in silence. It was my laugh that brought on her question.  
  
"What are you thinking?" Faith asked, glancing up at me.  
  
"You really wanna know?"  
  
"Of course I do," she replied, looking into my eyes.  
  
"I was just thinking about something my ma said."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"That night I fell asleep here.the next morning after I left here, I stopped off at her place. Seven o'clock in the morning, I'm knocking on her door."  
  
"I bet she loved getting woke up."  
  
"She was already awake.making breakfast."  
  
"Your ma doesn't eat breakfast."  
  
"She'd invited Lieu over for breakfast. He was working the day shift."  
  
"You're sure he didn't spend the night before?"  
  
"No, I was talking to ma when he showed up at her door. He was as surprised to see me there as ma was."  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"She wound up asking what I was doing there at such an early hour. I told her I was on my way home. She asked from where and I told her the truth."  
  
"What'd she say to that?"  
  
"She read all kinds of things into it. She thought something was going on between us."  
  
"I guess it's a good thing she didn't know about the kiss."  
  
"The kiss? What kiss?"  
  
"You really were out of it that night," Faith began explaining. "I took my coffee cup into the kitchen. When I came back you were asleep. So I got a blanket and covered you up. Before I went to bed, I leaned over and kissed you."  
  
"I slept through your kiss?"  
  
"Yeah, after everything with Cruz, you were exhausted," Faith explained before reaching up and touching my forehead. "So I just leaned over and kissed you right here."  
  
I couldn't help myself. As Faith touched my forehead, I leaned over and softly kissed her forehead. She smiled at me as I looked into her eyes. I'd never noticed how beautiful her eyes were when she smiled. I was about to protest when she got up off the sofa until she returned with the same blanket she'd covered me up with the last time I spent the night on her couch. As she lay there in my arms, I thought back on the past nine years and wondered what took me so long.why was I just now figuring out what had been right in front of my eyes? Maybe it was all a matter of timing.maybe it was just two lost souls searching for a safe harbor.or maybe, like she'd said, I was growing up.changing as she put it. I was never a big fan of change, at least not in most cases. Maybe I'd found what I was looking for without ever really knowing what I was missing.  
  
I was going to take things slow with Faith. She was that important to me and if I messed this up, I'd lose more than I was willing to give up. The way I figured it was like this. Faith and me.we'd take things slow.very slow. That way if it didn't work out, we'd figure it out before we crossed the line.the point of no return when I'd lose my best friend.  
  
Right now all I was losing was my battle to stay awake. That wasn't so bad. After all, I had Faith and in the morning, she'd be right where she was right now.in my arms.  
  
to be continued... 


	12. Lieu 12

The month after me and Faith talked about her divorce went by faster than any 30-day period in my life. Emily was still living with her dad. She was staying with him while Faith prepared a surprise for her. Actually the surprise was a combined effort...combined meaning me and Faith.  
  
We'd gotten off shift late one night. I drove Faith home. We'd talked for a half hour or so before she glanced at the calendar. She got this look on her face, followed by a string of explicits that I've never heard from her before. After a couple minutes, she calmed down and told me what was wrong. Turns out it wasn't all that big of a deal. Her rent was three days late. Didn't seem that big a deal to me. My landlord was used to me showing up a week late. It wasn't that I didn't have the rent money, it was more like my brain just stopped working on the 29th of the month and didn't start again on the 4th or 5th...hence my late rent.   
  
I spent the night with Faith, crashing on her couch just as I'd done three days that week. The next morning we'd planned on calling her landlord and offering to bring the rent check right over. Faith was in the shower when I heard someone knock on the door. Through the door, I discovered the man was the landlord and he was in the neighborhood and decided to see if everything was okay with Faith. Faith came out of the bathroom, fully dressed but with damp hair.   
  
"Hey Jim," Faith said walking into the kitchen after hearing voices. "I got your rent money right here."  
  
"Oh hey don't worry about it," Jim replied. "I got bigger problems than you making one late rent payment in what....ten...twelve years? Everything okay Faith?"  
  
"Yeah, just slipped my mind I guess," Faith replied.  
  
"Good, glad to hear it," Jim replied taking the check. "Like I said, it's not a problem."  
  
"So what brings you over here this early?" Faith questioned Jim. The guy didn't look too happy although I think he was sincere about the late check and all.  
  
"I was supposed to meet a guy about an apartment," Jim explained. "Crazy son-of-a-bitch left the place a mess. I come over here to meet with a guy about doing some repairs and he doesn't show. You believe that? I wanted to do this a week ago...I plan my day around his schedule and he doesn't show."  
  
"Sorry to hear it," Faith offered. "What unit is it?"  
  
"Five-fifty-five...small rooms but a nice place or at least it will be once I get it fixed up."  
  
"What kinda work we talking about?" I asked.  
  
"Place needs some painting, some new carpet, minor stuff really," Jim explained. "Repairs aren't my thing and I just don't have the time to deal with it right now. Daughter's getting married in a month...wife's got me running all over town. Gotta run. Thanks for the check."  
  
Faith headed back into the bathroom. I caught up to Faith's landlord. Fifteen minutes later I returned.   
  
"Where'd you run off too?" Faith asked.  
  
"Come on, gotta show you something," I replied, taking her by the hand and dragging her along behind me all the while she kept asking where we were going. She didn't stop asking until we were standing outside a door with the numbers 5 5 5.  
  
"Bos, why are we here?" Faith asked as I pulled out a key, unlocking the door. I flipped a few light switches.  
  
"So, what do you think?"  
  
"What do I think? I think the place is a mess...why?"  
  
"I was thinking..."  
  
"Bos?"  
  
"Hear me out Faith," I replied as we walked from room to room. "Right now, I'd have to agree with you. It's a mess but it doesn't have to be."  
  
"What are you getting at?"  
  
"I talked to Jim...he's willing to pay for whatever the place needs...carpet...tile...paint...whatever. We do the work and the place is yours."  
  
"Bosco, I can barely make my rent now. This place is bigger than mine. I cant swing any more bucks for rent."  
  
"It wouldn't be anymore Faith," I explained. "Jim said if we clean the place up...do some painting, lay the new carpet and all; he'll give you the place for the same as you're paying now."  
  
"Bos, this is a three bedroom apartment," she replied. I didn't need her answer. I could tell what she was thinking by her smile. "I get to pick my own colors?"  
  
"Yep, you pick the colors for paint, carpet in here, new tile in the kitchen...anything else; we run it by Jim. If he agrees, same thing applies...we do the work and he'll pay for the materials."  
  
"We do the work...we as in you and me?"  
  
"We as in you and me Faith."  
  
"So what do you get outta this deal?" she asked.  
  
"I get this," I replied, cradling her face in my hands. "I get to see your smile. That's enough for me."  
  
Faith smiled at me that afternoon. It was a look that I wouldn't soon forget. Faith was happy and that made me happy too. We spent the rest of the day making plans. The next three days we spent cleaning out the place. Four days later, Faith picked Emily up from school. She had a surprise for her she'd said. Instead of telling Emily about the new apartment, Faith told her she was painting Em's bedroom and they needed to make a color selection. While they spent the afternoon shopping, I got started on painting the living room. I had a feeling Faith wouldn't be able to keep the new apartment a secret and the next day while I was painting the kitchen, Faith appeared with Emily. I hadn't seen Emily since that night at the hospital. I wasn't sure how she'd feel about me being there.  
  
"Hey Em," I replied, attempting to break the ice.   
  
"Hi Bosco," she replied. Faith stepped in at this point, directing Emily to what would be her new room. It was slightly smaller than the one in Faith's current apartment but this one would be all hers. A third bedroom would be for Charlie when, on occasion, he stayed with Faith. I wasn't in the room with Faith and Emily but I over heard them talking so I know Emily was excited about the new bedroom.  
  
"Hey Faith," I called out after ten minutes or so.   
  
"Yeah Bosco," she called back.   
  
"Your landlord stopped by, he wanted you to call him."  
  
Faith had left her cell phone at the apartment so she used mine to call Jim. I was only hearing one side of the conversation but I could tell it was a good one. I looked from Faith to Emily who looked from her mother to me. We shrugged our shoulders at the same time, waiting for Faith to get off the phone and tell us what was going on.  
  
"Jim's really busy with the wedding stuff. He won't have time to go with us to pick out the new carpet until after the wedding," she explained.  
  
"And you're happy about this?" I asked, a little confused.   
  
"Well no, not that. I mean I wanna get moved in here as soon as possible. Jim suggested that I go to the carpet store, pick out what I want and he'll take care of it. He gave me a budget. He said to pick out the carpet or whatever else we need, like countertops and tile and as long as I stick to the budget, we can go pick everything out."  
  
"That's great mom." Emily piped in. I looked at Faith who was smiling as her daughter. As the two of them were talking my cell phone rang. Faith still had it in her hand and out of habit, answered it forgetting it was my phone.  
  
"Oh hi Nicole," she replied. "Hey he's right here. Sorry, I used his phone and I was still had it in my hand."  
  
"Hey Nicole," I answered. Our conversation lasted for almost ten minutes. She explained how she'd been trying to call me but my phone was busy. She thought it was funny how Faith had answered it. We'd talked earlier in the week about Faith's new apartment so that was no surprise. She asked if she could stop over, if Faith would be there for a while. After several more questions aimed at Faith, I handed my phone back to Faith. Fifteen minutes later, the three of us were in my car, heading for some place Nicole had told us about.   
  
We arrived there and Faith and Nicole were soon lost in an array of carpet, tile, drapes, furniture and some things I'd never imagine putting in a place I called home. Okay so my sense of adventure was missing. There was a time when I'd had plenty of ideas on what to do with a bearskin rug. In the back of my mind, I made a mental note to never go shopping with Faith again, at least not with her and Nicole. Me and Emily walked around for a while, occasionally running into one another. One particular time I was staring intently at some odd chair type thing. I must have said something although I don't remember what it might have been...something along the lines of what would you do with that. I guess I forgot who I was talking to. Emily wasn't the same little girl that I'd first met nine years ago. Her answer, well I wont go into that. Let's just say my reputation preceded me and the kid left me blushing.  
  
After a while I caught up with Faith and Nicole, the two of them showing me their choices. I kind of forgot all about Emily.  
  
It was later in the week that Nicole asked me to stop by her place. 'We need to talk' she'd explained, offering me no further clues.  
  
Faith and I got off a little late that night but I still made it to Nicole's by midnight.  
  
"Hey there," she greeted me, an interesting look on he face.   
  
Her phone call and how she left things had been on my mind all day. I wasted no time getting to the point.  
  
"So what is it we need to talk about?"  
  
"Emily," Nicole replied. The look on her face told me this was going to take a while. I took a seat.  
  
"The other day when we were shopping for the carpet and tile and stuff," she began explaining. I nodded urging her to continue.  
  
"Emily asked me about us."  
  
"Us...as in you and me?"  
  
"Yeah, she was curious about our relationship."  
  
"Why would she ask about us?  
  
"Well, I told her that you and I were just friends, that we'd dated a few years back but now we were just friends."  
  
"And..."  
  
"And after that she asked about you and Faith," Nicole paused before continuing. "I wasn't sure what to tell her. I mean I know the two of you aren't seriously involved, at least not to the point that Emily was asking. But I didn't feel it was my place to tell her anything."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Just that you and I were friends and that you and Faith were friends. Anymore than that she'd have to talk to Faith."  
  
"She knows doesn't she?"  
  
"I don't know what exactly she's thinking but I got the feeling she suspects something."  
  
"This isn't good," I replied.  
  
"Maybe not but..."  
  
"Nicole, I've known Emily since she was a little girl. She and I used to be on good terms. I felt like an uncle to the kid you know. But there was a time that I really felt she blamed me for a lot of what was going on between Faith and Fred."  
  
"I think either you or Faith need to sit her down and talk to her."  
  
"And tell her what, that I spend a lot of nights at Faith's...that the feelings I have for her mother aren't as a friend..."  
  
"In a way, yes that's what she needs to hear. Look Maurice, be honest with her. Like you said, she's not a little kid anymore and if she'd picking up on something, its better that she hear it from you or Faith than someone else."  
  
"You're right...you're right," I repeated as I paced Nicole's apartment. "I should get going. It's late."  
  
"If there's anything I can do, call me," she said as I put my jacket on, heading for the door.  
  
"Thanks...thanks for telling me this," I replied.  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
For the second time, Nicole and I had had a serious discussion and I went home and spent the next few hours thinking. I knew what Nicole said was right. One of us had to talk to Emily. For some reason, I didn't see this as Faith's problem...this one was mine.  
  
A few days later, I was putting the final touches on a kitchen paint job when Emily showed up. Faith had gone up to the apartment for something. I took the opportunity to talk to Emily.  
  
"Can we talk?" I asked her, getting a curious look.  
  
"Sure...I guess."   
  
You know I remember a time that kid ran into the room when I showed up at Faith's place. Course she was about six or seven at the time. Things had changed. I'd changed...Emily's changed...we'd all changed. I was hoping Em and I could still talk. Just once, I wished we could talk like we used to.  
  
"Come 'ere Em...sit down," I replied, trying not to sound too much like an adult.  
  
"Did I do something?" she replied. Okay so that wasn't the reply I'd hoped for. At least she hadn't rolled her eyes when she said it.  
  
"No, actually it's been kinda nice being around you," I said. For the first time in a long time, she looked me in the eye.  
  
"Bosco, you're weird you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, I know that," I replied with a laugh. So I'd broken the ice...at least I'd hoped I had.   
  
"Listen, you're fourteen. You're not a little kid anymore, right?"  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
"So, I wanted to talk to you about your mom."  
  
"You mean about you and my mom?"  
  
"Yeah about me and your mom."  
  
"Are you guys sleeping together?"  
  
"You don't beat around the bush do you?" I asked. Actually as bold as Emily was and the fact that she really put me on the spot, I'm glad we were talking. I was hoping she'd give me a chance to explain.  
  
"No, Em we're not sleeping together."  
  
"And you're telling me the truth?"  
  
"Yeah Em, I'm telling you the truth." This wasn't going so well after all. I decided to take another approach.  
  
"Listen, when I was ten years old, my parents got a divorce. I still remember the day my ma told me. She pulled me out of school, took me to lunch. I barely took a bite of my sandwich when she told me my dad wasn't gonna live with us anymore. Suddenly, at ten, I was the man of the house. I thought it was my job to look after my ma and my little brother.  
  
"My ma and dad...they never fought in front of my brother and me...the divorce...blew me away. I never in a million years expected them to split up."  
  
"I didn't expect mom and dad to get a divorce either. Once when I was little, dad didn't come home for a couple days but this..."  
  
"I know Em... I remember that time. Your dad was drinking again and your mom...she grew up with that...she didn't want that kind of home life for you and Charlie."  
  
"Did mom, I mean does she talk to you about her and dad?"  
  
"Sometimes...I mean we don't really talk about it, usually she's just talking out loud...trying to figure things out for herself. That time though, we talked about it. I think she was really seriously talking about leaving your dad."  
  
"What'd you tell her?"  
  
"Basically I told her to think long and hard on it...that it would affect you and Charlie a lot longer than just this week or this month...it'd be with you well into adulthood."  
"She didn't leave dad," Emily replied, her eyes meeting mine. "Not that time."  
  
"No Emily, not that time. But this time...yeah. But the difference between you and me...your dad loves you...he's still a part of your life. He's right here...you can call him anytime you want...you can still see him. Your mom would never stop you from seeing your dad."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Anything."  
  
"Your mom and dad...they see other people?"  
  
"I don't know what my dad does. I didn't then, still don't. He used to come over to the house, come to my window and talk to me. I'd let him in and he'd rush right past me. Then he'd argue with ma, beat her up.  
  
"My ma, yeah she's dated other people...some of them just as bad or worse than my dad. Right now though, she's dating my boss."  
  
"Your boss?" Emily replied with a laugh. She was Faith's daughter after all. "Your mom's dating your boss?"  
  
"Yeah and the kicker...I introduced them...didn't realize it at the time. To be honest with you, I wasn't crazy about the two of them...not at first. Kicked myself for introducing them. After a while, I realized they really care about each other. He treats her nice, doesn't beat her up. What am I supposed to do? Deny her a nice guy...a decent guy?"  
  
"So you and my mom...you think I should be okay with that?"  
  
"No Em, I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is that I care about your mom. I like spending time with her. I'm not sure where this is heading...whether it will develop into something more serious."  
  
"Serious as in sex?"  
  
"I'd like to think that your mom and me...if we did sleep together...at some point...that it'd be more than just sex. Em, you met my friend Nicole. One night we talked for five hours about everything from my work to her store to my mom and Lieu. You know what she told me?"  
  
"No," Em replied, shaking her head at the same time.  
  
"She told me that no matter what happens...if ma dates someone... if she someday gets married again...that she'll always be my ma. Emily, no matter what happens with your mom and me....whatever the future holds for your mom and dad, they'll always be your mom and your dad. Nothing can change that...not a new husband...not a new wife...certainly not me. I've known you too long...long enough to know how much your mom loves you. She may not always say the right thing or do the right thing, but what she says and what she does...she loves you and she wants you to be happy."  
  
"I know," Emily replied. I took that as the end of our conversation. Emily thought differently.   
  
"Bosco...about the drugs...that sergeant lady...her sister really died?"  
  
"Yeah Em, she did."  
  
"It was only that one time...just that one night. I talked to mom about it...I took the drugs, I mean no one made me do it."  
  
"Talking to your mom about it...that's a good thing."  
  
"I think she was upset at you...that night at the hospital...what you said, it was meant for me."  
  
"Yeah, I didn't want to upset you but...I don't know...it just seemed like maybe you'd listen...maybe you'd think about what you did."  
  
"I did...think about it I mean...I'm not going to take drugs again."  
  
I didn't respond to Emily's last comment. I nodded as I reached out to her, helping her to her feet. Without any furniture in the apartment, we'd been sitting on the floor.  
  
"Bosco?" she replied. I'd taken about six steps when she caught my attention. I didn't have time to respond since she was right behind me. I did what felt natural, I reached out to her, wrapping my arms around Faith's grown up little girl.   
  
"Thanks," she said, returning the hug. "Thanks for being honest with me...not treating me like a little kid."  
  
I glanced up to see Faith standing in the doorway, a smile on her face. I wasn't sure how long she'd been there but she didn't stay long. She left before Emily knew she was there. 


End file.
